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SELECTIONS 


EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES 


LETTERS, 


PUBLISHED  IN  THE  FREDONIA  CENSOR  AT  VARIOUS 
TIMES  BETWEEN  1842  AND  1894, 


BY  WILLARD  McKINSTRY. 


FOR  PRIVATE  CIRCULATION'. 


FREDONIA,   N.   V. : 

CI.NSOK    PRINTING    OFFICE. 

DECEMBER,    1894. 


PREFACE. 

In  my  more  than  fifty  years  of  connection  with  the  publication 
of  the  Fredonia  Censor,  I  have  of  course  witnessed  many  changes. 
I  have  lived  to  see  my  eightieth  year,  and  a  large  part  of  these 
years  have  been  spent  in  this  village.  The  Censor  has  from  week 
to  week  been  the  chronicle  of  these  changes  not  only  in  our  village, 
but  in  the  County,  State,  Nation  and  throughout  the  world.  The 
facilities  of  travel  and  exchange  of  thought  have  been  marvelously 
increased,  and  have  caused  a  feeling  of  kinship  that  was  unknown 
or  at  least  not  realized  a  half  century  ago.  Mind  is  triumphing  over 
matter  with  accelerated  power,  and  the  subserviency  of  the  material 
things  of  the  universe  to  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the  people 
of  the  earth  is  growing  more  and  more  apparent  as  the  years  roll 
on.  The  press  as  the  vehicle  of  thought  and  progress  now  has  a 
diffusive  power  not  dreamed  of  in  former  years. 

During  my  more  than  fifty  years  of  journalistic  experience,  I 
have  been  a  witness  of  some  of  this  progress;  though  having  but  an 
insignificant  part  in  it,  the  observation  has  been  none  the  less 
opportune.  I  do  not  propose  to  give  a  history  of  the  past  half 
century;  that  would  require  an  effort  far  beyo  nd  my  capacity  and 
ability.  All  I  propose  to  do  is  to  give  selections  of  editorials  on 
various  subjects  presented  at  the  time,  with  letters  from  various 
parts  of  the  country  in  which  I  have  traveled,  some  of  the  important 
events  of  local  history  which  have  transpired,  and  some  other  letters 
which  have  been  written  to  the  Censor  which  I  taink  will  interest 
the  reader. 

I  commenced  the  preparation  of  matter  for  this  volume  at  about 
the  beginning  of  my  eightieth  year,  and  the  reader  will  hardly 
expect  so  much  adaptation  to  the  times  in  which  we  now  live  as  a 
younger  person  would  manifest.  Perhaps  it  will  be  attributed  to 
an  undue  amount  of  egotism  that  I  have  undertaken  this  work.  As 
I  have  undertaken  it  with  the  hope  of  pleasing  some  of  my  friends, 
and  not  for  emolument,  I  feel  that  a  failure  to  meet  the  expectations 
of  the  general  public  need  not  give  me  much  concern. 

The  pages  devoted  to  family  genealogy,  I  have  inserted  for  the 
benefit  of  near  relatives  interested  in  the  preservation  of  the  data 
given.  The  general  reader  can  pass  those  pages  by. 

More  than  two  generations  have  passed  since  the  Fredonia  Censor 


IV  PREFACE, 

was  founded  by  the  late  H.  C.  Frisbee,  in  1821.  Not  a  single 
original  subscriber  is  now  living.  Probably  those  who  remain 
whose  names  were  on  the  subscription  list  when  I  commenced,  52 
years  ago,  would  number  less  than  a  score.  Not  many  were  sub- 
scribers before  they  were  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  such  would 
now  be  past  their  three  score  years  and  ten.  They  were  young 
then,  just  entering  on  the  scenes  of  active  life,  and  now,  if  still 
living,  they  are  tottering  on  the  verge  of  the  grave,  and  children 
and  grand  children  are  bearing  life's  burdens  for  them. 

When  the  Censor  was  established  in  1821,  a  large  proportion  of 
the  people  in  this  county  lived  i;i  log  houses,  located  in  clearings  in 
the  wilderness.  When  I  came  to  this  county  in  1839,  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  more  than  half  the  land  was  mortgaged  to  the  Holland 
Land  Company,  and  the  remainder  had  but  recently  been  purchased 
by  Wm.  H.  Seward  and  two  partners.  The  hardy  pioneers  had  in 
large  part  come  from  New  England  by  teams  or  on  foot,  to  found 
homes  in  the  Holland  purchase.  They  had  but  little  money  and  on 
their  way  had  stopped  at  Batavia,  then  the  county  seat  of  Genepee 
county,  of  which  Chautauqua  was  a  part,  and  taken  articles  of  the 
land  to  become  homes  for  themselves  and  the  families  which  were  to 
grow  up  around  them.  The  land  had  been  surveyed  into  townships 
and  lots,  and  the  early  arrivals  found  their  allotments  by 
marked  trees  in  the  wilderness.  Within  thirty  years  from  the  time 
of  our  arrival  here,  the  mortgages  given  to  the  company,  of 
Hollanders  had  all  been  paid,  and  the  people  had  mostly  become 
the  owners  of  their  homes  without  incumbrance.  They  had  a 
struggle  which  their  successors  little  realize. 

When  I  came  to  Fredonia,  the  village  was  the  largest  in  the 
county,  and  contained  only  1200  to  1500  population.  The  road  to 
the  nearest  village,  Dunkirk,  was  a  considerable  part  of  the  way 
through  woods,  and  made  passable  in  spring  and  fall  through  the 
swamp  intervening  by  a  corduroy  road. 

Chautauqua  Lake  was  mostly  surrounded  by  dense  iorest,  where 
now  are  pleasant  resorts  and  splendid  steamers  convey  thousands  of 
people  to  that  Mecca  of  education  in  all  the  sciences,  where  learned 
people  from  all  the  world  come  to  give  instruction  in  literature, 
science  and  art. 

Not  a  railroad  existed  within  three  hundred  miles  of  us,  and  that 
of  a  most  primitive  kind,  laid  with  flat  bar  rails  on  longitudinal 
timbers.  Now  we  have  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of 
railroad  in  Chautauqua  county. 

There  were  no  friction  matches  here  then,  and  the  embers  of  the 
huge  back  log  were  buried  in  the  ashes  to  preserve  the  fire  over 
night,  and  if  it  failedx  one  of  the  boys  was  sent  to  the  nearest 
neighbor  to  obtain  fire  with  which  to  cook  the  morning  meal,  or 


PREFACE.  V 

else  the  flint,  steel  and  tinder  box,  or  the  flint  gun  lock,  were  called 
into  requisition  to  supply  the  needed  fire. 

Then  the  scythe  and  sickle  were  used  to  cut  the  grass  and  grain, 
while  now  the  mower  and  reaper  save  the  muscle  and  sweat  of  the 
farmer. 

Then  the  neighbors  for  long  distances  joined  to  roll  up  the  logs 
for  the  construction  of  their  log  houses,  while  now  the  house  is  got 
in  readiness  in  some  shop  where  machinery  prepares  the  material, 
and  a  few  men  put  the  work  together  on  the  spot  to  be  occupied. 

No  ocean  steamer  had  then  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and  some 
four  weeks  were  required  to  cross  from  Europe  to  America.  Now 
less  than  six  days  are  required  for  the  ocean  grey-hounds  to 
accomplish  the  trip.  Then  the  mails  were  mostly  carried  by  stage 
or  on  horse-back;  and  twenty-five  cents  was  required  for  postage 
for  over  400  miles.  Now  a  letter  is  carried  for  two  cents  from 
Boston  to  the  Pacific  coast,  and  papers  for  a  small  fraction  of  a 
cent  each. 

Then  the  spinning  wheel  and  loom  were  the  implements  for  most 
household  manufacturing,  and  the  garments  from  wool  and  flax  of 
their  own  raising  were  produced  in  the  home,  and  the  seamstress 
dressed  the  boys  and  girls  in  home-made  clothes  of  superior  lasting 
qualities.  Now  the  power  looms  and  spinning  jennies  in  large 
factories  do  all  this  kind  of  work. 

Then  the  boundaries  of  the  United  States  were  on  the  east  of  the 
Mississippi,  except  Missouri,  which  was  made  a  state  the  year  the 
Censor  was  established,  and  even  when  I  commenced  publishing 
the  Censor,  the  enterprising  pioneers  living  west  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  except  those  in  Missouri,  had  their  papers  directed  to 
territories.  Chicago  was  then  but  a  little  village  grown  up  around 
Fort  Dearborn.  That  city  now  has  more  than  a  million  inhabitants 
and  its  territory  stretches  for  miles  from  the  shore  of  Lake 
Michigan  into  the  prairie. 

Fifty  years  ago  the  wagons  of  the  emigrants  to  the  "New  Con- 
necticut"in  Ohio,  covered  with  white  canvas  and  loaded  with  house- 
hold goods  and  women  and  children,  passed  daily  through  our 
village,  occupying  three  or  four  weeks  on  their  journey  to  their 
western  home.  Now  the  railroad  takes  the  emigrant  and  his  goods 
for  a  thousand  miles  farther  west  in  as  few  hours  as  he  then  occupied 
days  in  the  transit. 

Then  droves  of  cattle,  sheep  and  swine  passed  over  our  main  road 
by  thousands,  almost  daily,  to  the  eastern  market.  Now  many  more 
already  slaughtered,  packed  in  refrigerator  cars,  are  brought  ready 
for  use  to  the  families  of  the  Eastern  States. 

Then  there  was  scarcely  any  manufacturing  done  in  this  county, 
but  now  two  cities  have  grown  up  in  our  midst,  one  supplying 


VI  PREFACE. 

textile  fabrics  to  millions  of  people  in  the  country,  and  in  the  other 
locomotives  are  made  which  traverse  with  the  speed  of  birds  of 
passage  from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  the  company  is  now  supplying 
the  best  locomotives  to  the  largest  and  most  powerful  of  the  South 
American  Republics. 
Then  not  an  electric  telegraph  had  conveyed  information  to  the 

newspaper  or  individual,  and  the  mail  by  stage  coaches  was  the 
most  expeditious  method  of  communicating  between  friends  or 
doing  business.  Weeks  would  elapse  befoie  the  result  of  a  general 
election  could  be  known.  No  telephone  had  conveyed  the  human 
voice  for  miles  awav.  Now  no  considerable  village  throughout 
the  vast  country  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  is  without  this 
wonderful  instrumentality  to' convey  thoughts  and  voice  of  those 
who  wish  for  instantaneous  communication  between  persons  far 
separated.  No  great  event  in  any  part  of  the  civilized  world  can 
take  place  without  its  being  instantly  known  in  the  great  centers  of 
population  and  business. 

Then  the  railroad,  rude  in  structure,  had  but  recently  commenced 
its  onward  career,  while  now  four  prominent  lines  of  railroad 
connect  the  oceans  east  and  west,  and  the  continent  is  crossed, 
from  the  southernmost  bounds  of  California  to  the  terri- 
tory of  Alaska,  in  about  the  space  of  one  week,  binding  the 
country  together  with  bands  of  iron  and  holding  the  people  as  with 
hooks  of  steel  in  one  common  interest  and  patriotism. 

Fifty  years  ago  our  nation  held  but  the  territory  of  Oregon  on  the 
Pacific  coast  and  that  was  thought  to  be  of  so  little  value  that  only 
by  the  effort  of  a  missionary  was  it  retained  from  British  control. 
Now  by  the  cession  of  territory  as  the  result  of  the  Mexican  war,  far 
more  territorv  than  was  owned  by  the  United  States  in  the  original 
thirteen  States,  has  been  added  to  our  national  domain,  and  there  is 
to-day  more  of  the  Pacific  coast  under  the  stars  and  stri  pes  than  of 
Atlantic  coast. 

Fifty  years  ago  half  of  the  States  in  the  Union  were  slave  States, 
and  the  half  devoted  to  Freedom  were  the  common  hunting  ground 
for  fugitive  slaves,  and  in  our  own  Chautauqua  the  slave  hunters  had 
free  access  and  the  fugitive  slave  law  required  our  own  free  citizens 
to  assist  in  the  capture  of  the  fleeing  fugitives.  Now,  thanks  to  the 
Proclamation  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  this  horrible  crime  against 
liberty  has  been  abolished,  and  no  slave  now  breathes  under  the 
folds  of  the  stars  and  stripes. 

One-third  of  a  century  ago  a  great  war  for  the  preser  vation  of  the 
Union  was  going  on  and  more  than  two  thousand  soldiers  from 
Chautauqua  county  volunteered  to  put  down  the  rebellion.  Many 
laid  down  their  .lives  in  the  service  of  the  country,  while  others 
returned  to  their  homes  to  receive  the  honors  due  to  their  patriotism. 


PREFACE.  Vll 

Fifty  years  ago  there  had  been  no  discovery  of  petroleum  oil,  and 
the  whale  was  pursued  to  hyperborean  regions  to  get  the  oil  for 
lamps,  or  more  commonly  the  readers  of  the  Censor  perused  its 
columns  by  the  light  of  a  tallow  dip  or  by  the  blazing  fire  light, 
while  the  snuffers  and  tray  were  on  the  candle  stand  to  make  the 
light  more  luminous  when  the  candle  was  burning  low.  Fifty  years 
ago  more  than  5000  sheep  were  slaughtered  in  this  county  for  the 
tallow  and  pelts,  showing  that  light  and  warmth  were  then  obtained 
at  great  sacrifice. 

But  we  are  lost  in  wonder  at  the  progress  which  has  bee  n  made 
in  the  last  fifty  years.  Machinery  has  taken  the  place  of  hard  labor, 
and  the  loom  and  spinning  wheel  which  were  in  the  dwellings  of 
the  pioneers,  have  gone  into  desuetude,  or  are  found  stored  away 
in  the  garret  as  curiosities  of  the  olden  time. 

In  view  of  the  progress  made  in  our  country,  and  especially  in 
Chautauqua  county,  no  pestilential  pessimist  has__a_mjeeal  right  to 
b've  here.  A  kind  Providence  has  blessed  our  land  above  every 
^5ffier  land. 

The  changes  which  have  been  wrought  during  the  last  fifty  years 
have  mostly  survived  those  who  wrought  them.  The  founder  of  the 
Censor,  Hon.  H.  C.  Frisbee,  passed  away  more  than  twenty  years 
ago.  The  pioneers,  merchants  and  business  men,  have  all  gone  to 
the  shadowy  land.  Another  generation  has  taken  their  places. 
No  business  man  on  our  streets  of  fifty  years  ago  is  now  here. 

For  more  than  fifty  years  I  have  had  a  weekly  visit  to  families 
in  their  homes,  through  the  pages  of  the  Censor.  It  is  gratifying  to 
me  to  believe  that  I  have  been  a  welcome  visitor.  I  have  sought  to 
elevate  and  improve  your  households,  by  giving  useful  instruction 
through  the  selections  on  the  printed  page.  I  have  sought  to  make 
the  Censor  "the  tyrant's  foe,  the  people's  friend." 

I  came  to  Fredonia  as  a  young  man,  and  purchased  the  Censor 
office  at  the  close  of  the  2ist  year  of  its  publication.  The  acquain- 
tances I  formed  when  I  came,  have  gone  to  their  silent  home. 
Here  I  was  married  and  reared  my  family.  I  was  homeless  when 
I  came,  but  a  kind  Providence  has  cared  for  me  to  an  unexpected 
extent.  I  was  in  debt  for  the  office,  and  paid  for  it;  ran  in  debt  for 
my  home,  and  paid  for  that,  and  have  been  fairly  prosperous. 

In  undertaking  the  publication  of  this  volume,  I  desire  to  com- 
memorate the  friends  of  my  younger  days  and  the  few  who  remain, 
for  whom  I  have  a  very  warm  regard.  Their  children  and  friends, 
I  hope,  will  appreciate  this  labor,  and  the  descendants  of  the  old 
subscribers  of  the  Censor  of  fifty  years  ago,  may  feel  grateful  for 
this  feeble  effort  of  my  octogenarian  year  in  their  behalf.  I  have 
traveled  some,  north  and  south,  east  and  west.  My  ability  to  do  so 
is  due  to  a  considerable  extent  to  my  good  friend  Samuel  B.  Jones, 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

now  of  New  York  city,  a  kind  neighbor  of  mine  more  than  forty 
years  ago,  through  whose  influence  with  railroad  lines  I  have 
sought  recuperation  and  rest  in  Southern  climes.  I  am  also  indebt- 
ed to  Mr.  Theodore  Welch,  of  Montgomery,  Ala.,  who  kindly 
aided  me  to  extend  my  trip  in  the  Gulf  States.  I  am  glad  of  this 
opportunity  to  acknowledge  their  kindness. 

To  the  N.  Y.  Press  Association,  of  which  I  have  been  a  member 
over  thirty  years,  I  owe  grateful  acknowledgments  for  the 
oppjrtunities  afforded  for  pleasant  meetings  and  delightful  ex- 
cursions. I  have  seen  the  Association  grow  from  a  small  beginning 
to  nearly  two  hundred  members,  and  have  very  pleasant  memories 
of  its  members  and  the  annual  reunions  with  them. 

Wishing  all  these  and  other"  kind  friends  who  have  aided  me  in 
my  work  a  happy  reunion  in  the  life  beyond, 

I  am,  Yours  truly, 

W.   McKlNSTRY. 

FREDONIA,  N.  Y.  Dec.,  1894. 


EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 


THE  PIONEER  PRESS  OF  CHAUTAUQUA  COUNTY. 


f  Read  before  the  Fredonia  Historical  Society,  March  14, 1879,  by  W. 
McKixsTBY,  Pres.] 


DIFFICULTIES  IN  PUBLISHING  THE  EARLY  PAPERS — SPARSITYOF  POPU- 
LATION— MAIL  FACILITIES — RATES  OF  POSTAGE — AN  EDITOR  PUT 
IN  JAIL  FOR  DEBT — MANNER  OF  HOLDING  ELECTIONS — INCREASE 
OF  NEWSPAPERS  IN  THE  COUNTY. 

'  'The  world  moves. ' '  In  one  sense  its  motion  is  the  same 
it  was  a  million  of  years  ago.  In  another  sense  it  has  an 
accelerated  motion,  receiving  a  new  impulse  through 
thought,  discoveries  and  inventions,  till  all  the  elements  of 
nature  seem  to  be  harnessed  to  the  work,  and  the  mental 
activity  of  millions  is  directed  to  its  progress.  The  press  is 
the  most  available  medium  by  which  this  progress  is  direct- 
ed, and  the  multitude  of  forces  brought  into  action. 
Though  born  in  a  foreign  land,  in  no  other  country  has  it 
had  such  a  growth  and  become  so  potent  as  in  this.  Through 
its  agency  the  ideas  of  historians,  statesmen,  philosophers 
and  poets  permeate  and  mould  society,  and  bring  mankind 
into  one  neighborhood  of  social  interest,  to  share  with  each 
other  in  the  common  benefits  of  civilization  and  progress. 

When  Benjamin  Franklin  commenced  the  publication  of 
his  paper,  his  friends  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from  the 
enterprise,  by  assuring  him  that  one  paper  was  enough  for 
America.  What  would  they  have  thought  could  they  have 
peered  into  futurity  a  little  over  one  hundred  years,  and  seen 
the  teeming  millions  of  people  including  those  from  every 
nation  of  Europe,  for  the  most  part  having  newspapers  to 
read,  while  the  very  electric  current  which  he  captured 


10  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

should  be  subjected  to  the  service  of  carrying  news  from  all 
over  the  world,  throwing  off  dispatches  at  the  various  sta- 
tions in  its  progress,  and  scarcely  stopping  in  its  wonderful 
speed  when  an  ocean  intervenes.  If  they  could  also  have 
foreseen  the  rapidity  with  which  press  work  would  be  per- 
formed and  compared  the  machine  on  which  he  could  with 
much  muscular  toil  print  say  200  sheets  in  an  hour,  with  a 
modern  cylinder  press  which  can  print  ten  miles  of  con- 
tinuous sheet  or  say  30,000  newspapers  in  the  same  length 
of  time,  and  seen  them  distributed  with  railroad  speed 
throughout  the  country,  they  would  scarcely  have  believed 
the  vision,  and  would  have  been  overwhelmed  with  wonder 
at  the-grandeur  of  the  spectacle. 

Sixty  two  years  ago,  (in  January,  1817)  the  first  news- 
paper was  issued  in  this  county.  It  was  printed  in  this  vil- 
lage. Xt  marked  a  new  era  in  the  county's  history.  Let 
us  look  back  to  that  time,  and  see  the  condition  of  develop- 
ment which  then  existed,  to  warrant  such  an  enterprise. 
At  that  time  there  was  but  a  sparsely  settled  population,  im- 
poverished by  the  war  which  had  closed  but  two  years 
before,  and  a  large  portion  of  the  people  lived  in  log  houses 
erected  by  themselves  in  the  dense  primeval  forests.  Only 
fifteen  years  before,  the  first  white  man  had  erected  his  cabin 
within  the  borders  of  the  present  county,  which  was  then  a 
town  in  the  county  of  Genesee,  with  the  county  seat  at  Bata- 
via.  Twelve  years  before,  every  foot  of  land  in  the  county, 
except  one  farm,  was  owned  by  a  company  of  Hollanders, 
who  had  never  seen  it,  and  whose  only  interest  in  its  ad- 
vancement was  in  the  increased  demand  for  its  land  for 
farms. 

The  county  had  been  organized  but  six  years  ( 1 8 1 1 )  and 
was  then  composed  of  two  towns,  with  two  members  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors,  and  the  first  town  meeting  in  the  town 
of  Pomfret  was  held  but  five  years  before  the  first  press  was 
established. 

The  first  county  court  was  held  in  a  log  house,  and  the 
grand  jury  room  was  the  attic  of  the  house  which  was  reach- 
ed by  a  ladder,  and  this  being  drawn  up  after  the  jurymen 


THE   PIONEER   PRESS.  II 

had  ascended,  left  them  secure  from  intrusion  without  a 
constable  in  charge  of  the  door.  The  late  Gen.  Leverett 
Barker,  who  afterward  gave  important  aid  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  first  press,  was  the  clerk  of  this  jury.  He  re- 
lated to  me  some  years  ago  some  very  amusing  anecdotes  of 
that  first  grand  jury,  and  described  the  first  indictment,  in 
which  one  of  their  number  was  charged  with  getting  drunk. 
All  this  occurred  when  there  was  no  newspaper  to  chronicle 
their  inquests,  or  the  proceedings  of  the  august  court.  But 
this  was  a  want  which  was  not  long  to  remain  unsatisfied. 

In  less  than  six  years  after  the  first  court  was  held  in  the 
county,  a  number  of  people  in  the  hamlet  then  called 
Canadawa,  in  order  to  induce  the  establishment  of  a  press, 
advanced  from  $10  to  $30  each  for  the  purpose,  which  was 
to  be  an  advance  payment  on  their  subscriptions.  The 
amount  raised  was  sufficient  to  pay  for  the  few  materials 
necessary  in  those  days  to  start  the  paper.  We  may  well 
imagine  that  when  Mr.  James  Percival  made  his  appearance 
in  the  hamlet  with  his  materials  and  issued  the  first  number 
of  the  Chautauqua  Gazette,  there  were  many  congratula- 
tions, and  the  printer  probably  received  considerable  at- 
tention. They  might  well  feel  that  they  were  now  to  be 
recognized  as  a  civilized  and  progressive  people,  and  the  vil- 
lage entitled  to  a  place  on  the  map  of  the  State.  But  Canada- 
wa, the  name  of  the  hamlet,  was  not  high  toned  enough 
for  a  village  with  a  newspaper.  A  meeting  of  the  citizens 
was  called,  and  the  name  of  Fredonia  was  adopted  at  the 
suggestion  of  Judge  Jacob  Houghton,  and  the  first  news- 
paper bore  that  date.  We  can  imagine,  also,  how  it  troubled 
the  printer,  with  his  advance  payments  for  years  all  invest- 
ed in  press  and  materials,  to  obtain  a  living  for  himself  and 
family.  He  endured  his  sufferings  for  a  short  tipie,  when 
he  was  compelled  to  resort  to  the  generosity  of  the  com- 
munity to  sustain  him.  Accordingly  those  who  had  loaned 
him  the  advance  payments  of  subscriptions  for  years,  were 
mostly  persuaded  to  donate  those  loans  and  pay  again  each 
year.  Even  this  was  scarcely  sufficient.  Within  one  year 
the  establishment  was  sold  to  Carpenter  &  Hull,  and  finally 


12  EDITORIAL,   MISCELLANIES. 

to  James  Hull,  who  continued  the  publication  till  some  two 
or  three  years  after  the  Censor  was  established.  None  of 
these  parties  made  the  publication  of  the  Gazette  a  lucrative 
undertaking.  Paper  and  ink  cost  money,  and  though  the 
patrons  might  supply  food  and  raiment,  they  did  not  enable 
him  to  meet  the  cash  expenses.  These  were  often  quite 
embarrassing,  and  the  honors  of  the  editor  hardly  com- 
pensated for  the  sufferings  endured  for  the  public  good. 

A  wicked  law  of  those  times  was  in  force  in  this  State, 
providing  for  imprisonment  for  debt.  It  may  seem  strange 
at  the  present  day,  that  the  editor  should  be  taken  from  his 
humble  sanctum  and  ruthlessly  hurried  away  from  his 
family  and  business,  to  the  county  jail,  because  he  could  not 
pay  his  debts.  But  this  was-  even  so,  and  the  publisher  of 
the  first  paper  printed  in  Chautauqua  county  suffered  from 
this  cruel  law  against  the  freedom  of  the  press.  Mr.  Hull 
became  involved,  subscribers  did  not  pay,  and  an  unrelent- 
ing creditor  sent  him  to  jail!  It  would  look  like  a  very  un- 
reasonable law  which  would  stop  a  person's  earnings  so  as 
to  make  him  pay.  But  such  was  the  law  then,  and  the 
printer  was  a  law  abiding  citizen.  But  there  was  some 
leniency  even  in  that  law.  The  debtor's  friends  could  give 
bail,  which  would  give  him  the  liberty  of  the  limits,  which 
extended  one  mile  each  way  from  the  jail.  To  pass  this 
limit  would  make  the  bail  liable  if  process  could  be  served 
on  him  before  the  return  of  the  debtor.  But  the  blessed 
Sabbath,  on  which  day  legal  process  could  not  be  served, 
here  interposed  its  beneficent  influence  in  jhis  behalf.  To 
this  impoverished  debtor  at  least  it  was  a  day  of  delight 
The  printer  had  friends  whose  kind  offices  secured  to  him 
the  freedom  of  the  limits.  He  could  visit  his  home  and 
friends  on  Sunday,  and  no  legal  process  could  be  served  on 
his  bail  to  make  them  liable  for  the  debt  if  he  should  return 
to  the  limits  by  12  o'clock  Sunday  night.  This  he  was  sure 
to  do,  as  he  was  a  man  of  honor  and  integrity,  and  would 
not  jeopardize  his  friends  whose  kind  act  had  saved  him 
from  incarceration  in  the  gloomy  cells  of  the  jail.  The 
Gazette  in  the  mean  time  still  continued  to  be  published. 


THE   PIONEER   PRESS.  13 

We  may  presume  the  faithful  wife  administered  the  affairs 
of  the  office  with  skill  and  economy,  and  looked  forward 
with  delight  to  the  day  of  rest,  and  with  it  the  return  of  her 
husband  from  his  involuntary  exile.  Thus  once  a  week  the 
printer  returned  to  the  bosom  of  his  family  and  joined  with 
them  in  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary.  Previous  to  one  of 
these  home  visits,  word  was  sent  to  him  that  the  ink  was 
out,  and  the  paper  would  stop  unless  some  could  be  obtain- 
ed. He  had  doubtless  heard  the  unwelcome  exclamation 
from  some  subscriber,  '  'stop  my  paper, ' '  but  if  his  paper 
should  stop,  there  would  still  be  debts  to  pay  and  nothing 
to  pay  with.  At  that  time  the  Chautauqua  Eagle,  the 
second  paper  in  the  county,  was  commenced  at  Mayville. 
With  characteristic  sympathy  the  editor  thereof  loaned  Mr. 
Hull  some  ink,  and  procuring  a  horse  and  cutter,  he  started 
on  a  cold,  wintry  Sunday  morning,  with  the  double  purpose 
of  visiting  his  family  and  providing  for  the  next  issue  of  the 
paper.  Thus  joyful  at  the  prospect  of  getting  out  his  paper 
on  time  he  proceeded  homeward.  But  alas!  on  coming 
down  the  hill  at  Salem  X  Roads,  now  Brocton,  his  cutter 
was  overturned  in  a  snow  drift,  and  the  precious  ink  spilled 
upon  the  driven  snow  !  Shades  of  Faust !  what  a  catas- 
trophhe  !  Where  can  consolation  be  found  in  such  a  dilemma  ! 
What  would  subscribers  say  if  his  paper  failed  to  appear  ! 
But  he  was  not  to  be  baffled  by  this  misfortune.  He  had 
bravely  met  disappointments  before,  and  was  now  equal  to 
the  emergency.  Quickly  placing  the  overturned  keg  right 
side  up,  he  scooped  up  the  adhesive  ink  from  the  blackened 
snow  with  his  hands  and  placed  it  in  the  keg.  Just  at  that 
time  the  religious  services  in  the  little  log  school  house  near 
by  were  closed,  and  as  the  worshipers  came  out  they  were 
astonished  to  find  the  editor  with  his  hands  besmeared 
with  ink.  They  could  not  extend  to  him  the  warm  hand 
of  friendship  without  sincerely  repenting  the  contact.  Yet 
they  doubtless  excused  this  apparent  violation  of  the  Sabbath 
requirements,  from  the  necessities  of  the  case.  So  justified 
by  the  higher  law,  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing,  and  the 
Gazette  made  its  appearance  as  usual. 


14  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

When  the  law  to  repeal  imprisonment  for  debt  was  passed, 
we  were  told  that  it  would  affect  our  business  more  than  any 
other.  In  one  sense  it  was  a  relief,  for  when  this  relic  of 
barbarism  was  abolished,  both  publisher  and  patron  were 
placed  out  of  danger. 

Another  of  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  publication 
of  the  pioneer  papers  was  the  limited  mail  facilities  and  the 
expense  of  getting  news.  Not  more  than  ten  years  had  any 
mail  facilities  whatever  existed  in  the  county,  previous  to 
which  the  nearest  post  offices  were  Buffalo  on  the  east  and 
Erie  on  the  west.  The  former  was  supplied  from  Albany 
via  Canandaiguar  and  the  latter  from  Pittsburg.  The  first 
mail  route  was  from  Buffalo  to  Erie,  once  in  two  weeks,  and 
the  mail  was  carried  by  a  man  on  foot  or  horseback.  I  have 
heard  Hon.  A.  H.  Walker  speak  of  the  interest  the  early 
settlers  took  in  the  first  mail  carrier,  as  he  passed  along  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  with  his  hand  bag  contain- 
ing all  the  letters  and  papers  to  the  settlers  of  the  county. 
Mr.  Newell  Gould  says  he  went  some  miles,  when  a  lad,  to 
see  the  mail  carrier  pass  by.  The  first  postoffice  established 
in  Canadawa,  now  Fredonia,  was  eight  years  anterior  to 
the  first  newspaper. 

In  1817  there  were  four  post  offices  in  the  county,  all  on 
the  Erie  road  except  that  of  Mayville.  These  were  Sheri- 
dan, Pomfret,  and  Westfield.  In  1817  the  percentage  of  the 
Government  for  the  ist  quarter  was  $68.37,  or  at  the  rate  of 
$273.48  per  annum.  This  would  not.present  an  encouraging 
outlook  for  the  publication  of  a  newspaper.  j  It  will  be  recol- 
lected, however,  that  at  that  time  letter  postage  ranged  from 
6|  to  25  cents,  according  to  distance,  and  52  cents  a  year  on 
newspapers,  for  whatever  distance.  At  that  rate  the  amount 
of  mail  matter  was  comparatively  small  to  produce  this 
revenue.  Letter  postage  for  each  piece  of  paper  sent  was  6^ 
cents  for  30  miles  or  less,  12^  cents  for  30  to  150  miles,  i8f 
for  1 50  to  400  miles,  and  25  cents  fora  greater  distance. 
No  envelopes  were  used,  as  that  would  double  the  postage 
by  the  additional  piece  of  paper.  I  have  often  seen  a  sheet  of 
folio  post  or  double  letter,  written  over  except  a  space  on  the 


THE  PIONEER  PRESS.  15 

last  page  for  superscription,  so  as  to  bring  it  within  single 
postage.  The  single  sheet  letter  was  folded  and  super- 
scribed on  the  blank  space  left,  and  sealed  with  the  wafer, 
upon  which  the  good  housewife's  thimble  was  impressed  to 
make  the  seal  inviolable.  To  save  the  expense  of  postage 
the  traveler  was  often  solicited  to  carry  letters  to  friends  at  a 
distance,  and  with  the  scarcity  of  money  in  those  days,  and 
the  rate  of  postage  so  high,  this  economy  was  not  regarded 
with  disfavor.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  postage  rate  was 
for  Spanish  or  Mexican  currency,  that  being  the  principal 
silver  coin  of  those  days.  When  the  letter  arrived  at  the 
post  office  with  the  postage  marked  in  large  figures  in  red 
ink,  and  the  place  and  date  of  mailing  written  on  the  corner, 
the  postmaster  examined  it  carefully  and  held  it  up  to  the 
light  to  ascertain  if  more  than  one  piece  of  paper  was  con- 
tained in  it,  and  if  his  suspicion  was  well  grounded  the 
postage  was  doubled,  which  was  paid,  or  the  receiver  might 
open  the  letter  in  his  presence,  and  thus  satisfy  him  that 
Uncle  Samuel  was  not  wronged  by  the  person  who  mailed 
the  letter.  Postage  was  seldom  prepaid  in  those  days.  A 
record  of  letters  sent  and  received  was  kept  on  blanks  pro- 
vided at  each  office,  and  a  copy  sent  to  the  department  at 
the  end  of  each  quarter,  from  which  the  commission  of  the 
postmaster  was  estimated. 

When  the  Chautauqua  Gazette  was  commenced  the  whole 
number  of  votes  cast  in  the  county  at  the  previous  election 
was  612,  of  which  Chautauqua  had  98,  Pomfret  148,  Ellicott 
96,  Gerry  21,  Hanover  112,  Portland  30,  Ripley  58,  and 
Harmony  49.  These  composed  all  the  towns  in  the  county. 
All  but  seven  of  these  votes  were  cast  for  DeWitt  Clinton  for 
Governor.  He  was  the  great  advocate  of  the  construction 
of  the  Erie  canal,  and  this  vote  indicates  the  great  interest 
taken  at  that  time  in  this  great  work.  The  vote  cast,  how- 
ever, does  not  fully  indicate  the  population  of  the  county. 
At  that  time  only  free  holders  could  vote  for  Governor,  and 
the  valuation  of  their  real  estate  must  be  as  high  as  $250. 
Many  of  the  farms  were  only  articled  to  the  occupants,  by 
the  Holland  Land  Company,  and  thus  many  were  excluded 


1 6  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

from  voting.  This  restriction  was  removed  by  the  second 
constitution,  in  1821,  which  abolished  the  condition  as  to 
white  men  but  retained  it  on  the  colored,  till  it  was  removed 
by  the  i5th  amendment  of  the  U.  S.  Constitution  since  the 
war. 

The  Elections  of  those  days  were  continued  for  three  suc- 
cessive days,  and  the  polls  were  opened  consecutively  at 
different  places  to  accommodate  the  sparse  population. 

The  late  General  Barker  once  related  to  me  his  experience 
as  inspector  of  election  when  the  town  of  Pomfret  comprised 
substantially  this  (2d)  Assembly  District.  On  the  first  day 
of  election  the  polls  were  opened  at  Canadawa,  and  having 
received  the  votes  here  the  inspectors  would  proceed  to 
Sinclearville,  where  those  in  that  vicinity  would  vote,  then 
proceed  to  the  Rapids,  (now  Jamestown)  and  thence  to 
Forestville,  where  the  voting  for  the  town  would  be  com- 
pleted. In  this  way  the  scattered  pioneers  could  express 
their  preferences  for  officials  from  President  down  with  less 
inconvenience  of  getting  to  the  polling  places. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to  mention  the  political 
status  at  the  time  the  first  paper  was  printed.  James  Madi- 
son had  been  elected  President  to  succeed  Thomas  Jefferson, 
having  received  all  the  electoral  votes  but  one.  DeWitt 
Clinton  was  elected  Governor  that  year,  under  whose  ad- 
ministration the  Erie  canal  was  completed  eight  years  after- 
ward. The  2  ist  Congressional  District  embraced  substantial- 
ly the  present  8th  Judicial  district,  -  and  had  two  members, 
viz.,  Benj.  Ellicott  of  Genesee,  and  John  C.  Spencer  of 
Ontario,  afterward  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  The  Senate 
District  then  embraced  sixteen  counties,  and  had  9  mem- 
bers, of  whom  Jediah  Prendergast  of  Chautauqua  was  one. 
The  Assembly  District  consisted  of  Chautauqua,  Cattar- 
augus,  and  Niagara,  (Erie  co.  being  taken  from  Niagara 
four  years  later. )  This  district  had  two  members,  but  none 
from  this  county  till  that  year,  when  Jediah  Prendergast 
was  elected.  Two  years  later  Judge  Orton  of  this  village 
was  elected,  and  three  years  later  Judge  Elial  T.  Foote  was 
the  member.  Hon.  Zattu  Gushing,  the  first  County  Judge, 


THE   PIONEER   PRESS.  17 

was  then  on  the  bench,  and  John  C.  Spencer,  the  Dist.  At- 
torney for  the  8th  Judicial  District,  discharged  the  duties  of 
that  office  in  this  county  in  connection  with  the  other  coun- 
ties in  the  District.  The  Surrogate  was  Hon.  Daniel  G. 
Garnsey,  who  succeeded  Dr.  Squire  White.  The  Sheriff 
was  Eliphalet  Dewey,  who  succeeded  Capt.  Jonathan 
Sprague,  two  years  before.  The  Supervisors  of  the  county 
were  John  Dexter  of  Chautauqua,  Philo  Orton  of  Pomfret, 
John  Frew  of  Ellicott,  Selah  Pickett  of  Gerry,  John  Brown - 
ell  of  Hanover,  Palmer  Phillips  of  Harmony,  David  Eason 
of  Portland,  and  Thos.  Prendergast  of  Ripley.  Jacob 
Houghton  was  Clerk  of  the  Board  the  previous  year.  The 
accounts  audited  against  the  town  of  Pomfret  that  year 
amounted  to  $634.23,  of  which  $250  was  for  roads  and 
bridges  and  $146.95  for  schools.  The  total  audits  for  the 
Board  of  Supervisors  were  $3,623,  including  $246.86  to  Asa 
Hall,  the  Jailor.  A  comparison  of  these  statistics  with  the 
present  will  show  the  growth  of  the  county  during  the  past 
62  years  since  the  Chautauqua  Gazette  was  commenced. 

With  all  the  discouragements  attendant  upon  the  publica- 
tion of  the  first  paper,  it  was  continued  for  some  years,  and 
finally,  in  1821,  had  a  rival  in  the  Fredonia  CENSOR,  es- 
tablished by  H.  C.  Frisbee,  by  whose  industry,  tact,  econ- 
omy and  perseverence  it  survived  its  competitor,  and  is  still 
published.  In  1818  the  Chautauqua  Eagle  was  commenced 
at  Mayville,  by  Robert  J.  Curtis,  who  continued  it  about  a 
year.  He  had  a  branch  office  at  Erie,  Pa. ,  and  supplied 
papers  for  that  village  from  his  Mayville  press.  This  paper 
was  called  the  Erie  Reflector.  Mr.  Willard  W.  Brigham,  a 
worthy  citizen  of  Dunkirk,  worked  as  an  apprentice  on  this 
paper,  and  it  was  his  business,  after  the  Erie  paper  was 
printed,  to  mount  his  horse,  on  which  the  papers  were  placed 
in  saddle  bags,  and  proceed  to  Erie  with  them  for  distribu- 
tion. This  occupied  some  two  days  in  going  and  returning. 
Mr.  Curtis  with  two  sisters  and  young  Brigham  performed 
the  labor  of  issuing  both  papers. 

When   the  CENSOR  was  commenced,  Mr.    Frisbee   being 


1 8  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

desirous  of  obtaining  assistance,  and  learning  that  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  Brigham  had  experience  in  the  art,  sought  him  out  and 
found  him  engaged  in  clearing  land.  He  engaged  him  for 
one  week,  and  at  the  close  paid  him  six  dollars.  Brigham 
did  not  disdain  '  'the  dollars  of  the  dads, ' '  but  on  the  con- 
trary felt  well  paid  for  his  week's  labor. 

As  I  have  stated,  the  "New  York  Censor,"  afterward 
changed  to  the  Fredotiia  Censor,  was  started  in  April,  1821, 
by  H.  C.  Frisbee.  Mr.  Frisbee  was  at  that  time  but  little 
over  twenty  years  of  age,  but  had  obtained  some  knowledge 
of  printing  in  the  office  of  the  Chautauqua  Gazette,  while 
printed  by  Mr.  Hull,  where  he  had  worked  two  years.  He 
leased  the  material  of  the  office  of  Mr.  Salisbury  of  Buffalo, 
with  the  privilege  of  purchase.  With  great  industry, 
economy  and  perseverence,  he  continued  to  publish  the 
Censor  for  17  years,  when  he  sold  to  E.  Winchester,  who 
had  seryed  an  apprenticeship  with  him.  The  press  and 
entire  materials  of  the  office,  procured  in  Buffalo,  made  but 
a  small  wagon  load  and  the  cost  was  about  $200. 

In  1824  the  "People's  Gazette"  was  published  at  Forest- 
ville,  by  Wm.  Snow,  and  was  continued  about  two  years. 

1111826  the  "Jamestown  Journal"  was  commenced  by 
Adolphus  Fletcher  and  though  having  changed  proprietors 
several  times,  is  still  published. 

In  1826  the  "Western  Star"  was  commenced  at  Westfield 
by  Harvey  Newcomb,  and  was  continued  two  years.  It  was 
afterward  revived  and  published  as  the  Chautauqua  Phoenix 
by  Hull  &  Newcomb. 

In  1826  the  Fredonia  Gazette  was  published  in  this  vil- 
lage by  Hull  &  Snow,  the  subscription  list  of  the  People's 
Gazette  having  been  transferred  to  this  paper.  The  Censor 
in  the  meantime  having  become  so  well  established,  the 
Gazette  office  was  soon  after  removed  by  Mr.  Hull  to  Dun- 
kirk, where  it  was  published  a  few  months,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Westfield  and  united  with  the  Chautauqua  Phoenix. 

It  will  thus  appear  that  within  nine  years  from  the 
establishment  of  the  first  newspaper  in  this  county,  there 
had  been  seven  different  papers  published,  of  which  two 


THE   PIONEER   PRESS.  19 

were  at  Fredonia,  one  at  Mayville,  one  at  Forestville,  one  at 
Jamestown,  one  at  Westfield  and  one  at  Dunkirk.  Of  these 
only  the  Censor  and  Jamestown  Journal  survive. 

Each  locality  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  press  which  gave 
influence  and  position  to  the  place  which  was  thus  favor- 
ed. A  helping  hand  was  often  given  to  the  printer  when 
he  worked  off  his  edition.  The  ink  was  then  beaten  upon 
the  type  by  means  of  large  balls  made  of  wool  and  covered 
with  soft  sheep-skin  and  fastened  upon  handles,  one  ball  for 
each  hand,  and  the  distribution  made  by  beating  them 
together.  These  volunteers  often  beat  the  ink  on  the  form, 
while  the  editor  pulled  the  Ramage  press,  requiring  two  im- 
pressions, one  on  each  page,  with  all  the  muscular  power 
he  possessed. 

Thurlow  Weed  and  James  Harper  were  having  experience 
in  this  manner  of  printing  at  about  that  time.  Shakespeare 
expressed  this  experience,  by  a  variation  of  the  punctuation, 
when  he  said: 

"There  is  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends 
Rough,  hew  them  as  we  may." 

The  hardships  of  pioneer  printers  was  narrated  recently 
to  Mr.  Smalley  of  the  Cleveland  Herald,  by  Mr.  Edward  D. 
Howe,  the  founder  of  that  paper.  Mr.  Howe  is  still  living, 
an  octogenarian,  at  Painesville,  O.  He  said  he  was  21 
years  old  when  he  commenced  the  paper.  On  his  way  west 
from  his  eastern  home,  he  waited  a  short  time  in  Buffalo, 
Fredonia  and  Erie  and  then  started  for  the  Cuyahoga  River. 
He  found,  in  what  is  now  Cleveland,  a  small  village  of  200 
inhabitants,  with  three  taverns  and  two  stores.  Here  he 
found  a  printing  office,  with  very  poor  appliances  for  even 
those  times.  The  editor,  to  eke  out  a  subsistence,  held  the 
office  of  weigh  master.  He  occupied  a  small  dingy  room, 
from  which  an  immense  lever  projected  outside,  and  when  a 
load  was  to  be  weighed,  it  was  drawn  to  the  side  of  the 
building,  chains  were  put  under  the  axles,  the  load  raised 
by  the  lever  and  the  weight  .taken  by  the  steelyards.  Mr. 
Howe  had  no  money,  but  persuaded  the  owner  of  an  office  at 
Erie  to  join  him  in  the  enterprise  of  starting  the  Herald. 


20  EDITORIAL 

*., 

He  and  his  partner  did  all  the  work,  and  after  the  paper 
was  printed  each  week,  he  went  to  the  surrounding  country 
on  horseback,  with  saddle-bags  filled  with  Heralds,  supply- 
ing subscribers  and  obtaining  new  ones.  At  the  end  of  the 
first  year  they  had  worked  up  a  subscription  list  of  300,. 
which  was  very  satisfactory  for  their  first  year's  labors. 
That  was  the  commencement  of  the  Cleveland  Herald,  now 
one  of  the  leading  papers  of  that  State.  There  was  then 
only  one  other  paper  in  northern  Ohio,  and  that  was  the 
"Warren  Trump  of  Fame  ! ' ' 

The  Western  Democrat  and  Literary  Inquirer  was  com- 
menced in  Fredonia  in  1835,  by  Wm.  Verrinder.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Benj .  Randall,  Dea.  May  and  others,  who  con- 
tributed to  its  columns,  and  interested  themselves  in  its 
circulation.  I  was  informed  by  the  late  E.  A.  Lester,  that 
"Dea."  May  took  a  deep  interest  in  it,  and  when  the  first 
number  was  issued  took  upon  himself  the  duties  of  the 
carrier  boy,  to  distribute  to  the  patrons,  and  in  the  next 
issue  of  the  Censor,  Frisbee  said  the  Deacon  was  '  'the  big- 
gest devil  he  ever  saw. ' '  Those  who  remember  the  portly 
appearance  of  the  "Deacon"  will  appreciate  the  force  of  the 
joke.  It  was  published  two  years,  when  the  materials  were 
removed  to  Van  Buren,  then  prospectively  to  be  a  city,  and 
used  on  the  Van  Buren  Times,  of  which  W.  H.  Cutler  was 
for  a  time  the  editor. 

The  Frontier  Express  was  started  by  Cutler,  Cottle  & 
Perham,  in  1846.  In  1849  it  was  changed  to  the  Fredonia 
Express,  in  1850  to  the  Chautauqua  Union,  and  in  1851  it 
was  purchased  by  Tyler  &  Shepard,  who  published  it  with 
Levi  L.  Pratt,  editor,  as  the  Fredonia  Advertiser,  which 
survives. 

Of  the  early  printers  of  this  county,  my  personal  knowledge 
is  somewhat  limited,  though  most  of  them  were  living  when 
I  came  to  this  county,  nearly  forty  years  ago.  Mr.  James 
Hull,  who  in  1818  printed  the  Chautauqua  Gazette,  after 
some  years  of  experience  in  Fredonia,  Dunkirk  and  West- 
field,  finally  went  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  with  four  sons,  all 
educated  to  the  business,  and  superior  workmen.  They 


THE  PIONEER   PRESS.  21 

printed  a  religious  paper  there  for  some  years.  Dnring  each 
summer  of  his  later  life,  ha  visited  this  place,  where  he  had 
many  friends.  He  was  a  good  man,  much  respected,  and 
deserved  a  rich  reward  for  the  patience  with  which  he  en- 
dured the  trials  of  his  early  life  in  the  publication  of  pioneer 
papers. 

Of  Mr.  Curtis,  who  published  the  second  paper  in  the 
county,  our  information  is  derived  from  Mr.  Willard  Brig- 
ham,  who  informs  me  that  he  was  a  man  of  considerable 
ability,  but  unfortunately  his  habits  sometimes  incapacitated 
him  for  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  the  office.  At  such 
times  Mr.  James  H.  Price,  a  lawyer  at  Mayville,  also  a 
writer  and  poet,  performed  the  editorial  work,  and  though 
addicted  to  the  same  infirmity  could  write  with  more  than 
ordinary  vigor  at  such  times.  One  of  his  poems,  published 
at  the  time,  was  republished  in  the  Censor  a  few  years  since 
from  a  copy  furnished  by  Mr.  L,evi  Risley.  Judge  Sterrett 
who  was  a  contemporary  with  Mr.  Curtis  at  Erie,  informed 
me  that  after  leaving  this  vicinity  he  went  to  Wheeling,  W. 
Va.,  and  published  a  leading  newspaper  there,  and  having 
reformed  in  his  habits,  became  very  successful  in  business 
and  a  prominent  citizen  and  public  man. 

Of  Mr.  Frisbee  it  will  be  unnecessary  for  me  to  parti- 
cularize, as  we  all  knew  him  so  well  and  he  has  so  recently 
passed  away.  His  narration  of  his  early  experience  on  the 
Censor  was  made  the  subject  of  interesting  delineation  at  the 
semi-Centeunial  supper  given  him  in  Feb.  1871.  It  will 
suffice  to  say  that  he  was  a  man  of  untiring  enterprise  and 
energy',  and  the  greater  the  struggle  the  more  he  was  nerved 
for  the  contest.  When  his  office  was  destroyed  by  fire  while 
he  was  away  to  New  York  and  thence  to  New  Haven  to 
make  arrangements  in  person  with  Dr.  Noah  Webster  for 
the  publication  of  his  spelling  book,  his  wife  who  faithfully 
shared  in  his  struggles  and  triumphs,  managed  the  business 
of  the  office,  and  on  his  return  the  paper  was  issued  without 
missing  a  number.  We  give  the  following  extract  from  the 
obituary  notice: 

"Mr.    Frisbee  was   a  self  made   man,    with   few  of  the 


22  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 

advantages  of  early  education  beyond  what  was  acquired  by 
his  profession,  with  keen  and  appreciative  wit;  he  wielded 
a  trenchant  pen,  and  though  not  specially  given  to 
controversy,  the  subjects  of  his  sarcastic  animadversions 
usually  came  out  of  the  controversy  with  trailing  colors. 
Though  always  decided  in  his  political  convictions,  and 
stern  and  inflexible  in  his  devotion  to  them,  yet  he  was 
always  so  sincere  and  honest  in  them  that  those  who  dis- 
agreed with  him  ever  respected  his  convictions.  He  was 
always  able  to  give  a  reason  for  his  political  faith,  and  never 
formed  opinions  upon  mere  impulse.  He  filled  several 
positions  of  public  trust,  always  conferred  without  his  seek- 
ing, and  discharged  every  duty  with  conscientious  fidelity." 

Mr.  William  Snow,  who  published  the  fourth  paper  in 
the  county,  at  Forestviller  was  an  ingenious  and  skillful 
printer  and  could  make  a  good  job  with  quite  limited  and 
poor  materials,  a  requisite  very  essential  in  those  days. 
The  Mayville  Sentinel  office  had  seme  years  ago  several 
cuts  which  he  had  moulded  and  cast.  Some  forty  years  ago 
he  was  a  journeyman  printer  at  Erie,  where  he  lived  some 
years  and  reared  a  large  family.  I  met  him  a  few  years 
since  in  the  Buftalo  Courier  office,  and  though  then  advanced 
in  years,  he  was  still  engaged  in  the  profession  of  his  youth. 
He  died  some  five  or  six  years  ago. 

Mr.  Adolphus  Fletcher  was  the  publisher  in  1826  of  the 
fifth  paper  in  the  county,  the  Jamestown  Journal.  He 
served  his  apprenticeship  in  the  office  of  the  Massachusetts 
Spy,  under  Isaiah  Thomas.  This  paper  was  commenced 
before  the  revolutionary  war,  and  is  still  published.  It  was 
one  of  the  patriotic  papers  which  urgently  pressed  the 
necessity  of  resistance  to  British  tyranny.  A  copy  of  this 
paper  is  preserved  in  a  Boston  Library  in  which  enlistments 
in  defense  of  the  colonies  is  urged  in  conspicuous  type.  Mr. 
Thomas  wrote  and  published  a  history  of  printing,  which  is 
highly  valued  by  the  antiquarian.  He  also  founded  an 
extensive  library,  which  is  still  in  existence  and  is  highly 
valued  by  the  antiquarian  and  historian  of  early  times. 
Elihu  Burritt,  who  has  recently  died,  greatly  enjoyed  this 


THE   PIONEER  PRESS.  23 

library,  Mr.  Fletcher  at  first  settled  in  Ashville,  on  a  farm 
and  in  mercantile  business,  where  he  remained  from  1818  to 
1824,  when  he  was  solicited  by  people  of  Jamestown  to 
remove  there  and  establish  a  paper.  The  Journal,  which 
he  established,  is  next  to  the  Censor,  the  oldest  paper  in 
this  county.  Mr.  Fletcher  had  all  the  rough  experience  of 
early  printers.  His  sons  and  daughters,  as  they  grew  up, 
assisted  him  in  the  work,  and  with  industry  and  economy 
he  established  the  paper  on  a  substantial  and  enduring 
foundation.  He  was  a  most  worthy  citizen  of  the  strictest 
integrity,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Congregational 
church  in  Ashville.  In  the  first  years  of  the  publication  of 
his  paper,  Hon.  Abner  Hazeltine  furnished  largely  the 
editorial  matter,  and  later  Hon.  E.  F.  Warren  conducted  it 
through  a  political  campaign  as  well  as  contributing  largely 
to  its  columns  at  other  times.  Mr.  F's  three  sons  were  all 
printers,  the  oldest,  J.  W.,  publishes  a  paper  in  Illinois,  A. 
B.,  publishes  the  Chaut.  Democrat  and  the  youngest  assists 
in  the  office.  Mr.  Harvey  Newcorrib,  who  commenced  the 
"Western  Star"  at  Westfield,  in  1826,  after  serving  the 
people  by  its  publication  two  or  three  years,  went  to  Boston 
where  he  became  extensively  known  as  publisher  of  Sunday 
School  books.  Many  of  our  older  Sunday  School  teachers 
will  remember  the  Union  Question  books,  with  lessons  for 
«the  year,  by  Mr.  Newcomb. 

Mr.  Morgan  Bates,  in  1828,  commenced  in  Jamestown 
the  publication  of  the  Chautauqua  Republican.  It  was 
published  in  the  support  of  the  administration  of  Gen. 
Jackson  and  in  opposition  to  the  anti-Masons,  who  had  the 
support  of  the  Journal.  He  afterwards  went  to  Michigan, 
and  was  engaged  in  the  newspaper  business  for  some  years. 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  him  in  the  office  of  C.  W. 
McCluer  in  Chicago  in  1868.  He  was  then  Lieut.  Governor 
of  the  State.  He  was  a  cultured  gentleman  and  able  editor. 
He  has  since  died. 

The  Mayville  Sentinel  was  commenced  in  1833  by  W. 
Kibbe.  In  about  a  year  after  it  was  purchased  by  Beman 
Brock  way,  who  published  it  1 1  years,  and  sold  to  J.  F. 


24  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

Phelps.  Mr.  Brockway  served  his  apprenticeship  in  the 
Northampton  Courier  office,  where  I  also  learned  the  art. 
In  about  1834  he  came  to  this  county  and  worked  on  the 
Fredonia  Censor,  for  Mr.  Frisbee.  After  leaving  the 
Sentinel  he  went  to  Oswego,  and  published  the  Palladium. 
He  has  since  been  a  member  of  Assembly,  Canal  Appraiser, 
and  for  a  time  was  news  editor  on  the  New  York  Tribune. 
He  now  with  his  two  sons,  publishes  the  Watertown  Times 
and  Reformer,  leading  papers  in  the  Northern  part  of  the 
State. 

William  H.  Cutler,  who  commenced  the  Western  Intel- 
ligencer, at  Forestville,  in  1833,  and  was  subsequently 
connected  with  several  papers  in  the  county,  was  well  known 
as  a  writer.  He  wrote  the  letters  of  '  'Ezekiel  Brown' '  in  the 
Frontier  Express  and  was  also  noted  as  a  talented  writer  of 
New  Years  addresses  with  which  the  carrier  boy  of  former 
times  was  wont  to  greet  the  patrons  of  the  paper  on  New 
Year's  morn,  and  received  ten  to  twenty -five  cents  for  his 
annual  greetings.  Mr.  C.  will  be  well  remembered.  He  is 
now  a  practicing  lawyer  in  Buffalo. 

Thompson  &  Carpenter  commenced  the  Chautauqua 
Whig,  in  Dunkirk,  in  1834.  Mr.  Carpenter  was  a  practical 
printer,  and  his  father  was  for  a  time  associated  with  Mr. 
Hull  in  the  publication  of  the  Gazette.  Mr.  Carpenter « 
some  years  after  purchased  the  Dunkirk  Journal,  and  has 
since  died.  He  was  always  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who 
knew  him.  Mr.  Thompson  published  the  Dunkirk  Beacon 
about  forty  years  ago.  He  long  since'  retired  from  the 
editorial  chair.  In  early  life  he  was  a  midshipman  in  the 
navy,  and  went  to  Brazil  under  Commodore  Perry.  He  is 
now  an  octogenarian  and  retired  from  business. 

About  forty  years  ago  Mr.  C.  J.  Ingersoll  came  from 
Greenfield,  Mass. ,  to  Westfield,  and  commenced  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Westfield  Messenger.  He  had  met  with  losses 
at  Greenfield,  and  came  west  to  recuperate  from  his  disasters. 
He  was  a  pure  and  most  conscientious  man,  with  fair 
editorial  ability  and  great  industry.  After  a  few  years 


THE  PIONEER  PRESS.  ^5 

service  in  the  publication   of  the  Messenger,  he  returned  to 
his  former  home,  where  he  died  some  years  since. 

Of  the  editors  and  publishers  who  succeeded  the  pioneers 
we  may  mention  Hon.  F.  W.  Palmer,  who  served  his 
apprenticeship  on  the  Jamestown  Journal,  and  in  1848 
became  one  of  the  proprietors.  He  exhibited  unusual 
editorial  talent  and  was  well  appreciated.  He  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Assembly  in  1853  and  again  in  1854.  He 
removed  to  Iowa  and  was  elected  State  Printer,  and  also 
ably  served  his  district  two  terms  in  Congress.  He  was 
afterward  editor-in-chief  of  the  Chicago  Inter  Ocean,  and  is 
now  Post  Master  of  that  city. 

Of  the  later  publishers  of  newspapers  in  the  county  it  will 
be  unnecessary  to  speak.  Their  names  are  more  familiar  to 
us  than  many  of  the  pioneer  printers  whom  it  was  my  design 
to  mention.  Of  those  pioneers  I  may  say  there  is  a  debt  of 
gratitude  due  to  their  memory  of  which  we  are  scarcely 
aware.  Few  of  the  present  age  can  realize  their  priva- 
tions, toils,  self  denials,  and  disappointments  in  the  enter- 
prise of  publishing  a  pioneer  paper  in  a  sparsely  settled 
portion  of  the  country. 

It  may  seem  surprising  that  more  newspapers  have  gone 
to  untimely  graves  in  this  county  than  in  any  other  in  the 
State,  in  proportion  to  population.  In  looking  over  the 
record,  we  find  that  within  the  first  half  century  more  than 
sixty  newspapers  have  had  an  existence  since  the  Chau- 
tauqua  Gazette  was  commenced.  Of  these  only  eight  have 
a  present  existence.  Of  the  six  started  more  than  a  half 
century  ago  only  the  Censor  and  Jamestown  Journal  survive. 
Of  those  commenced  between  twenty -five  and  fifty  years  ago 
the  Mayville  Sentinel,  Dunkirk  Journal,  Jamestown  Demo- 
crat, and  Fredonia  Advertiser  survive. 

The  publishers  of  those  early  papers  have  mostly  handed 
in  their  proofs  to  the  great  Author,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped 
with  as  few  errors  marked  as  falls  to  the  common  lot  of  men 
of  their  age  and  generation.  Of  the  influence  those  pioneers 
of  the  press  exerted  on  the  minds  and  morals  of  their  read- 
ers, it  is  unnecessary  to  speak.  Suffice  to  say  that  doubtless 


26  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

many  of  the  present  generation  owe  their  own  impressions 
and  their  political  proclivities  to  the  inculcations  of  their 
parents,  who  received  their  tenets  from  those  early  papers,  from 
selections  as  well  as  from  editorial  suggestions.  These  im- 
pressions are  immortal.  Every  individual  has  some  part  in 
this  progress,  and  he  who  promulgates  ideas  which  enhance 
the  virtue,  patriotism  and  happiness  of  the  world,  and 
especially  influences  to  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  life 
with  reference  to  the  future  of  our  existence,  is  a  benefactor 
of  his  race. 

Benjamin  F.  Taylor,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Press  Association 
of  this  State  last  year,  gave  the  following  poetic  description 
of  a  pioneer  press,  which  would  be  applicable  to  those  of 
the  early  history  of  this  county.  It  is  entitled  '  'The  Black 
River  Gazette:" 

Ah,  as  fine  and  as  clear  as  a  sun-lit  vignette 

Is  the  office  whence  came  The  Black  River  Gazette, 
And  the  editor,  printer  and  pressman  are  dead, 
And  the  "devil"  withal.     I  have  seen  their  low  bed 

Where  the  Lombardies  sweep  the  sky  clear  of  a  cloud. 
As  in  life  the  one  jacket  could  button  them  round, 
And  with  one  hat  at  once  they  all  could  be  crooned. 

So  in  death  they  were  laid  in  one  coffin  and  shroud. 
I  stood  in  that  room  when  a  roundabout  boy, 
All  my  pockets  a  jumble  with  jews-harp  and  joy, 
With  small  nibbles  of  sugar  and  fish  hooks  and  strings, 
A  new  Barlow  knife,  alley  marbles  and  "things," 
But  my  heart  gave  a  tumble  and  I. gave  a  start 
At  the  grim  iron  prince  of  that  house  ot  black  art; 
At  the  Ethiop  press  with  one  elbow  a-crook, 
And  its  rigid  round  arm  and  its  sinister  look, 
And  its  hand-o'rgan  crank  and  its  fire-dogs  of  legs 
And  its  rations  of  ink  in  a  couple  of  kegs, 
And  the  eagle  that  caught  its  brass  claws  in  the  thing 
And,  made  captive  for  life,  could  never  take  wing. 
Tallow  candles  stood  round,- lank,  languid  and  limp, 
Too  dim  for  an  angel  and  too  light  for  an  imp, 
Maps  of  regions  of  darkness  benighted  the  place, 
But  it  shows  through  the  past  with  an  exquisite  grace, 
And  the  boy  gazed  about  with  a  silent  surprise, 
For  nothing  was  white  but  the  whites  of  his  eyes. 
And  the  arm  of  the  printer  was  dingy  and  long, 


THE   PIONEER   PRESS.  27 

And  the  arm  of  the  pressman  was  shaded  and  strong. 
How  that  press  came  to  life,  if  I  only  could  tell ! 
But  whoever  drew  up  in  the  bucket  the  star 
That  he  leaned  on  the  curb  and  saw  shine  in  the  well 

When  the  hour  was  high  noon  and  the  night  was  afar? 

Give  the  roller  a  run  and  the  play  is  begun  ! 
Up  with  frisket  and  tympan  and  on  with  the  sheet, 
Down  with  frisket  and  tympan,  dead,  words  to  repeat, 
Then  a  turn  at  the  rounce  and  two  pulls  at  the  bar, 
And  the  platen  comes  down  on  the  face  of  the  page 
With  its  lines  in  relief  like  the  wrinkles  of  age; 
Then  a  whirl  of  the  crank  and  a  groan  and  a  clank 
And  the  words  regimental  in  justified  rank 

To  a  late  resurrection  reluctantly  rise. 

And  stand  before  men  in  their  eloquent  guise. 
Then  the  sturdy-legg'd  desk  where  the  editor  sat 
With  his  hand  in  his  hair  and  his  mail  in  his  hat. 
And  the  inkstand  beplumed  as  with  ferns  in  a  fen, 
As  if  he  raised  geese  from  the  slip — of  the  pen. 
But  the  toil  and  the  moil  were  brightened  and  past, 
For  he  made  a  man  Member  of  Congress  at  last, 
And  honors  were  easy — thfe  Member  made  him, 
And  he  said  in  his  heart  that  dipped  candles  were  dim, 

And  he  bought  him  a  lamp  and  a  "devil"  to  light  it, 

And  discovered  a  wrong  and  wrote  "leaders"  to  right  it. 
Oh,  dear  old  GAZETTE,  not  good  night  but  good  morn, 
For  I  hear  in  the  twang  of  thy  carrier's  horn 
The  prelude  to  bugles  right  royally  blown, 
That  proclaim  for  the  Press  an  Estate  of  its  own. 


EDITORIAL 


THURLOW  WEED, 


[Editorial  published  in  the  CENSOR  in  June,  i882.J 

In  a  recent  visit  to  New  York,  we  had  a  pleasant  inter- 
view with-  this  veteran  journalist,  whose  name  has  been 
intimately  associated  with  the  political  history  of  the  Empire 
State  for  the  past  half  century.  It  is  several  years  since  we 
had  met  him.  Though  in  his  85th  year,  his  intellectual 
faculties  are  well  preserved ,  and  his  ready  recall  of  the 
events  of  more  than  three  score  years  pastr  gave  an  im- 
pression of  a  remarkable  history  in  the  political  progress  of 
more  than  two  generations. 

His  career  as  a  journalist  may  well  be  pointed  to  with 
pride  by  the  profession,  as  showing  the  possibilities  of  success 
from  small  beginnings,  and  contentions  with  obstacles  which 
Would  appal  many  young  men  starting  out  in  life  as  he  did. 

After  two  seasons  of  service  as  cabin  boy  on  a  North  River 
boat,  he  •  became  an  apprentice  to  the  printing  business  at 
Cattskill,  when  twelve  years  of  age.  Two  years  after,  his 
parents  removed  to  Cortland  Co.,  and  he  found  employment 
in  the  avocations  of  the  then  frontier,  or  in  the  pioneer 
printing  offices  of  the  time.  In  1818,  when  21  years  of  age, 
he  engaged  in  the  publication  of  the  Agriculturist,  at 
Norwich,  Chenango  Co.  This  was  not  a  financial  success. 
He  subsequently  went  to  Manlius,  and  published  the 
Onondaga  Co.  Republican,  which  was  continued  under  his 
charge  some  three  years.  He  then,  in  1822,  went  to 
Rochester  in  search  of  work.  He  says  he  went  into  the 
Telegraph  office,  and  sought  employment  of  Mr.  Peck,  the 
proprietor.  They  had  all  the  help  they  needed,  and  he  was 
recommended  to  apply  at  the  other  office  in  the  place.  To 
this  Mr.  Weed  objected,  as  he  was  a  Clintonian,  while  the 
Gazette  was  a  "Bucktail"  paper.  Mr.  Peck  was  surprised 
that  a  '  'Jour' '  printer  should  be  particular  about  the  politics 


THURLOW   WEED.  29 

of  the  paper  on  which  he  worked,  and  was  so  well  pleased  that 
he  consented  to  give  temporary  employment  to  the  applicant. 
After  two  or  three  weeks,  Mr.  Weed  proposed  to  the  pro- 
prietor, who  was  a  book-binder,  and  gave  little  attention  to 
the  editorial  work,  that  as  he  had  some  experience,  he  would 
take  home  the  exchanges  and  prepare  matter  for  the  paper 
out  of  office  hours.  This  proposition  was  accepted.  Thus 
far  nothing  had  been  said  about  wages,  and  it  was  left 
entirely  to  the  generosity  of  the  proprietor.  Mr.  Weed  pre- 
pared the  editorials  and  selections,  and  a  marked  improve- 
ment was  observed  in  the  influence  of  the  paper.  Subscribers 
multiplied  and  job  work  increased  under  the  new  manage- 
ment, which  was  observed  by  the  employer.  After  a  few 
weeks,  Mr.  Peck  inquired  of  his  new  Jour  what  compensa- 
tion he  expected.  Mr.  Weed  said  he  had  not  taken  that 
into  account,  and  would  leave  it  to  his  employer  what  his 
services  were  worth.  Mr.  Peck,  after  a  little  deliberation, 
asked  him  if  $500  for  a  year  would  be  sufficient.  This  was 
more  than  he  had  expected,  and  it  was  cheerfully  accepted. 
As  the  editorial  work  was  done  without  interference  with 
the  mechanical  part,  which  was  not  neglected  in  consequence, 
both  were  well  satisfied.  Mr.  Weed  said  that  when  the 
year  was  out,  Mr.  Peck,  without  solicitation,  made  the 
salary  $600,  which  was  continued  three  years,  till  he 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  establishment.  It  was  during 
his  connection  with  that  paper  in  1826  that  he  took  Geo. 
Dawson,  now  editor  of  the  Albany  Journal,  as  an  apprentice, 
and  into  his  family.  Dawson  was  then  a  lad  of  eleven  years 
of  age,  who,  under  Mr.  Weed's  guidance,  developed  into 
one  of  the  most  successful  journalists  in  the  State,  and  is  a 
most  worthy  successor  of  the  retired  veteran.  For  more 
than  fifty  years  they  were  most  intimately  associated  in 
shaping  the  political  history  of  the  State  and  Nation.  As 
his  apprentice,  foreman  and  partner,  their  relations  have 
ever  been  most  intimate,  cordial  and  confidential,  and  it  is 
pleasant  to  notice  the  tender  interest  these  veteran  journal- 
ists feel  for  each  other,  now  that  the  frosts  of  age  have  given 
witness  to  the  long  service  of  these  tried  and  true  friends. 


/(?  EDITORIAI, 

Mr.  Dawson,  with  whom  we  had  a  pleasant  interview  at: 
Albany,  is  now  in  his  yoth,  yearr  and  though  only  two  years 
our  senior,,  and  eight  years  longer  in  the  profession,,  is  well 
preserved,  bid&  fair  for  several  years  more  of  service  in  the 
cause  of  good  government  and  the  moral  purity  of  our 
politics. 

In  our  conversation  with  Mr.  Weed  we  referred  to  the 
observation  frequently  made  that  he  had  controlled  to  a  great 
extent  the  nominations  of  our  conventions.  He  simply 
replied,.  "We  had  good  nominations,,  didn't  we?"  We  could 
refer  to  only  one  exception,  that  of  1846.  He  said  that  John 
Young's  nomination  for  Governor  was  an  instance  in  which 
he  had  no  voice  in  the  convention,,  having  been  absent  in 
Cuba  with  his  invalid  daughter r  till  just  previous  to  the 
State  convention,  and  then  he  took  no  part  in  it.  We  refer- 
red to  the  nomination  of  Gen.  John  A.  Dix,  in  1872,  as  a 
happy  solution  of  the  contest  between  personal  preferences, 
which  was  attributed  to  his  wise  counsels.  He  then  narrated 
the  circumstances  of  that  memorable  contest,  and  expressed 
much  satisfaction  in  its  settlement.  As  we  also  participated 
in  that  convention,,  and  enjoyed  the  tribute  then  given  to 
the  veteran  patriot,,  the  narration  of  its  mode  of  consum- 
mation gave  us  much  pleasure. 

Mr,  Weed  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  office,,  though 
in  1825  and  again  in  1830,  he  represented  Monroe  County 
in  the  State  Legislature.  While  he  exercised  large  influence 
in  making  nominations,  he  never  sought  them  for  himself, 
while  as  Gerrit  Smith  once  expressed  it,  he  was  "Governor 
of  Governors;"  he  always  sought  to  reflect  or  give  direction 
to  public  sentiment  through  the  press  rather  than  in  official 
position.  The  CENSOR  oncef  nearly  forty  years  ago, 
suggested  his  name  for  the  gubernatorial  office,  but  the 
response  was  a  private  letter  urging  us  to  desist.  There  has 
never  been  any  '  'bossism' '  in  his  political  career,  in  the 
modern  sense  of  the  term.  He  has  sought  to  impress  his 
views  on  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  personally 
and  through  the  press,  and  they  were  so  clearly  right  and 
judicious  that  a  following  was  always  obtained.  He  never 


THTJiaOW  WEED,  31 

Tailed  'to  favor  a  government  '  'of  the  people,  by  the  people 
.-and  for  the  people, ' '  and  he  sought,  in  the  nominations 
lie  could  influence,  to  secure  fit  and  able  men  to  carry  out 
•this  fundamental  principle  of  true  Statesmanship, 

Perhaps  the  most  noted  service  he  rendered  to  the  nation 
was  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  Our  navy  had  block- 
aded the  Southern  ports,  and  the  cotton  supply  of  the  English 
-and  French  manufacturers  could  not  be  obtained.  Thousands 
•of  operatives  were  in  compulsory  idleness,-  in  their  manu- 
facturing districts,  and  would  find  immediate  relief  if  the 
blockade  were  broken,  and  cotton  brought  to  them  in  their 
-own  vessels.  The  sympathies  of  capitalists  and  operatives 
were  largely  on  the  side  of  the  Confederates,  and  the  moral 
•questions  in  the  contest  were  mostly  lost  sight  of  by  them. 
Confederate  bonds,  based  on  the  cotton  supply,  were  sold  at 
.a  higher  price  than  the  Union  bonds,  and  the  argument  was 
made  by  a  party  which  declared  *  'the  war  a  failure, ' '  that 
the  sympathies  of  European  powers  were  against  this  country 
as  shown  by  the  comparative  estimation  in  which  the  bonds 
were  held.  To  cap  the  climax  of  a  prospective  collision 
between  this  country  and  foreign  powers,  Mason  and  Slidell, 
•commissioners  from  the  Confederacy  to  England,  were  taken 
from  a  British  vessel  by  a  Naval  officer  of  our  government, 
while  on  their  way  to  negotiate  for  an  acknowledgement  of 
their  confederacy.  This,  added  to  the  scarcity  and  high 
price  of  cotton  during  the  pending  of  the  blockade,  was  a 
tempting  pretext  for  a  rupture  of  neutrality  and  we  were  on 
the  very  verge  of  war  with  England,  while  engaged  with 
rebellion  already  on  hand.  It  was  at  this  critical  time  that 
President  Lincoln  and  Secretary  Seward  sent  Mr.  Weed  to 
England  and  France  to  bring  to  bear  what  influence  he 
could  to  prevent  such,  a  calamity  to  our  struggling  country. 
His  intimacy  with  the  President  and  Secretary  of  State,  gave 
him  a  semi-official  position  and  great  influence  with  the 
foreign  governments.  So  determined  had  the  government 
of  England  become  to  take  sides  with  the  South,  that  it  was 
only  by  the  most  earnest  endeavors  of  some  of  the  friends  of 
this  country  that  a  delay  was  effected  and  the  note  which 


32  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

had  been  prepared  and  which  would  in  all  probability  have 
brought  on  a  war,  was  modified  so  as  to  prevent  this  fearful 
result.  The  skillful  diplomacy  of  Mr.  Seward  and  the 
determination  to  surrender  Mason  and  Slidell,  aroused  a 
general  protest  throughout  this  country  when  it  was  first 
proposed,  and  was  acquiesced  in  only  after  a  most  powerful 
presentation  by  Mr.  Seward,  in  which  it  was  shown  that  we 
were  acting  only  on  the  principle  we  claimed  during  the  war 
of  1812,  when  British  vessels  impressed  thousands  of 
American  Seamen  into  their  service  to  fight  against  nations 
with  whom  we  were  at  peace.  These  were  arguments  which 
had  to  be  accepted,  and  which  Mr.  Weed  cogently  used 
with  the  governmental  powers  of  Great  Britain.  Mr.  Weed's 
arrival  at  this  critical  time,  and  his  access  to  the  leading 
men  of  the  country,  and  more  particularly  with  those  on 
intimate  terms  with  Prince  Albert,  was  indeed  opportune, 
and  then  when  the  note  with  the  Queen's  signature,  so 
modified  in  Prince  Albert's  own  hand  writing  as  to  be 
acceptable  to  our  government,  was  received,  it  sent  a  sensa- 
tion of  relief  through  the  country,  and  prepared  the  way  for 
the  favorable  termination  of  the  war. 

Mr.  Weed's  arrival  at  Paris,  was  also  timely,  for  Napoleon 
had  no  favorable  impression  in  favor  of  the  Union  cause. 
His  decision  had  been  made  in  favor  of  the  South  as  firmly 
as  had  been  England's  and  he  was  changed  in  his  purpose 
almost  as  abruptly  and  through  the  same  kind  of  influence. 

During  Mr.  Weed's  editorial  service  in  Rochester,  as  well 
as  elsewhere,  he  was  a  warm  and  earnest  supporter  of  De- 
Witt  Clinton  for  Governor,  and  sustained  him  while  in  that 
office.  During  his  administration  the  Erie  canal  was  built, 
and  thus,  before  there  was  a  railroad  in  the  world,  a  water 
way  was  made  between  the  great  lakes  and  tide  water,  by 
which  the  great  West  was  developed  "to  become  in  the  near 
future  the  preponderating  power  in  the  Union.  Then  the 
great  Northwest  consisted  of  indefinitely  described  territories, 
the  full  development  of  which  no  prescient  statesman  could 
foresee.  The  '  'Star  of  Empire' '  was  then  but  just  beginning 
to  take  its  way  toward  the  Pacific  slope.  The  first  great 


THTJRLOW  WEED.  33 

impetus  to  its  onward  progress  was  the  opening  of  this  work, 
to  which  DeWitt  Clinton  gave  his  energies  and  far-seeing 
statesmanship.  Well  may  Mr.  Weed  look  back  with 
satisfaction  on  the  consummation  of  that  most  wonderful 
internal  improvement  of  the  age,  having  such  a  grand  effect 
on  the  future  growth  of  the  country,  in  aid  of  which  he  gave 
the  best  work  of  his  pen  and  his  press. 

In  1827,  in  consequence  of  the  excitement  growing  out  of 
the  abduction  *and  supposed  murder  of  Wm.  Morgan,  Mr. 
Weed  entered  earnestly  into  the  political  contest  arising 
from  it  and  published  for  three  years  thereafter,  the  Anti- 
Masonic  Inquirer.  In  those  years  as  journeyman  printer, 
editor  and  publisher,  he  had  shown  a  capacity  for  the  work 
which  resulted  in  an  invitation  to*  become  the  editor  of  the 
Albany  Evening  Journal. 

In  that  contest,  Chautauqua  county  entered  most  heartily 
and  elected  the  entire  And- Masonic  ticket.  In  1828,  Abner 
Hazeltine,  of  Jamestown,  and  Nathan  Mixer,  of  Forestville, 
were  elected  to  the  Assembly;  in  1829,  A.  Hazeltine  and 
Dr.  Squire  White;  in  1830,  John  Birdsall  and  Squire  White ; 
in  1831,  Squire  Wliite  and  Theron  Ely;  in  1832,  Nathaniel 
Gray  and  Alvin  Plumb.  Hon.  A.  Hazel  tine's  name  appears 
as  one  of  the  originators  of  the  Evening  Journal. 

Mr.  Weed,  we  have  been  informed,  had  no  pecuniary  in- 
vestment in  the  Journal,  and  was  employed  on  a  salary. 
Though  his  compensation  was  fair  for  the  time,  yet,  though 
simple  and  inexpensive  in  his  habits,  he  was  so  generous 
and  sympathetic  in  his  nature  that  little  was  saved  from  his 
salary.  The  poor  and  needy  always  found  in  him  a  friend, 
and  many  a  poor  lad  received  aid  and  encouragement  from 
him  which  has  resulted  in  the  acquisition  of  wealth  and  a 
high  position  in  State  and  National  affairs.  So  unselfish 
was  he  that  we  have  been  told  by  the  late  Gov.  Patterson 
that  when  the  Evening  Journal  was  elected  a  State  paper, 
which. brought  to  it  large  legal  and  official  patronage,  and 
particularly  the  publication  of  all  the  bankrupt  notices  in 
the  State,  by  the  national  act  of  1841,  Mr.  Weed's  friends 
had  to  insist  that  he  should  participate  in  the  profits.  To 


34  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

this  Mr.  TenEyck  assented,  and  thus  was  laid  the  foundation 
of  his  pecuniary  advancement,  which  has  rendered  his 
declining  years  so  comfortable  and  pleasant.  This  success 
enabled  him  to  take  a  trip  to  Europe,  and  the  charming  and 
instructive  letters  he  wrote  for  the  Journal  are  recalled  with 
much  pleasure  by  those  who  perused  them  at  the  time. 

At  the  time  Mr.  Weed  entered  upon  the  editorial  charge 
of  the  Journal,  Gen.  Jackson  was  President  and  the  Albany 
Regency  at  the  height  of  its  power  and  influence.  These 
he  opposed  with  his  powerful  pen,  as  well  as  the  succeeding 
administration  of  Martin  Van  Buren,  who  proposed  to 
"follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  illustrious  predecessor." 

In  1838  Wm.  H.  Seward,  then  in  the  prime  of  mature 
manhood,  who,  in  connection  with  Messrs.  Duer  and 
Robinson,  had  purchased  of  the  Holland  Land  Company  all 
their  interest  in  the  lands  of  Chautauqua  county,  and  had 
located  in  Westfield  in  charge  of  this  vast  interest,  was 
brought  out  as  the  Whig  candidate  for  Governor  and  elected. 
It  was  largely  through  Mr.  Weed's  influence  that  this 
selection  was  made,  and  the  great  success  in  after  life  of  this 
prince  of  executives  and  diplomats  was  due  to  Mr.  Weed's 
discernment  of  men  and  firm  adherence  to  their  support.  In 
this  he  never  made  a  mistake.  In  this  election  and  that  of 
1840,  when  "Tippecanoe  and  Tyler  too"  swept  the  country 
with  overwhelming  majorities,  the  chief  man  at  the  helm, 
guiding  the  ship  of  State  through  the  seas  of  tempestuous 
political  commotion,  was,  conspicuously,  Thurlow  Weed. 

By  instinct  a  friend  of  equ  ality  in  the  exercise  of  civil  and 
political  rights,  and  a  protector  of  the  oppressed,  he  entered 
heartily  into  the  combination  of  the  Free  Soil  or  '  'Barburner' ' 
Democrats  with  the  '  'woolly-head' '  Whigs  and  Abolitionists 
to  form  the  progressive  Republican  party,  through  whose  in- 
fluence the  country  and  the  world  have  made  unprecedented 
progress  in  the  support  of  those  principles  which  have  truly 
made  this  country  the  home  of  the  oppressed  and  have  made 
actual  the  principles  of  universal  liberty  ideally  expressed  in 
the  immortal  Declaration  of  Independence.  The  great 
leaders  of  the  hosts  were  Seward,  Weed  and  Greeley.  The 


THURLOW   WEED.  35 

advocacy  of  the  '  'higher  law' '  which  Mr.  Seward  boldly 
advanced,  and  which  his  supporters  throughout  the  country 
so  fearlessly  maintained,  placed  the  politics  of  the  country 
on  a  more  elevated  moral  plane  than  had  ever  been  occupied 
before  by  any  political  party.  Its  final  triumph  in  the 
election  of  Lincoln  to  the  Presidency,  was  the  result  of  those 
advanced  political  ideas  and  the  needed  higher  moral  tone 
introduced  into  American  politics. 

In  the  campaign  of  1840,  the  need  was  felt  of  the  infusion 
of  new  life  into  the  politics  of  New  York  City  and  the 
country  brought  under  that  influence.  Horace  Greeley  had 
already  attracted  attention  while  publishing  the  New  Yorker, 
by  the  terseness  of  his  style  and  marked  literary  ability. 
Seward  and  Weed  sought  him  out,  and  as  the  result  of  the 
conference  the  (<L,OG  CABIN"  was  launched  into  being,  and 
became  under  Greeley 's  guidance  a  vast  power  in  the  politics 
of  the  country.  At  the  subscription  price  of  25  cts.  for  the 
campaign  in  clubs,  its  circulation  ran  up  to  hundreds, of 
thousands.  Its  cogent  presentation  of  the  issues  of  the 
campaign  and  the  soul  stirring  songs  published  with  the 
music,  inspired  the  old  Whig  party  with  an  enthusiasm 
never  known  before  or  since  by  any  political  party.  The 
result  was  a  triumph  greater  than  was  ever  dreamed  of  by 
the  most  sanguine  men  of  the  party.  After  the  close  of  the 
campaign  the  New  York  Tribune  was  started  by  Greeley  & 
McElrath.  With  the  prestige  already  acquired  by  the 
ability  with  which  the  Log  Cabin  had  been  conducted,  this 
became  the  leading  political  paper  of  the  country,  and  in 
its  palmiest  days  probably  no  man  in  the  whole  world  had  a 
greater  influence  on  the  public  thought — shaping  the  minds 
of  men,  moulding  political  ideas,  and  making  every  man  a 
freeman  in  thought  as  well  as  in  vote.  To  Seward  and 
Weed  in  a  great  measure  is  due  the  development  of  Mr. 
Greeley 's  great  political  power  and  bringing  it  into  the 
service  of  the  world.  His  agency  for  good  has  been  felt  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth.  It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  this 
partnership,  as  Greeley  styled  it,  entered  into  so  auspiciously, 
should  have  been  dissolved.  But  Greeley  had  ambitions 


36  EDITORIAL 

* 

not  suspected  by  Mr.  Weed,  and  the  thought  that  his 
herculean  labors  in  behalf  of  good  government  and  party 
success  were  not  appreciated, led  to  the  final  dissolution.  But 
all  have  performed  a  work  which  will  last  to  the  end  of 
time,  and  in  the  future  impartial  history  they  will  not  be 
divided. 

Mr.  Weed  is  enjoying  a  serene  old  age  with  every  wish 
anticipated  by  his  devoted  daughter,  who  in  his  growing 
blindness  is  his  amanuensis,  and  reads  to  him  the  news  of 
the  day.  A  beautiful  white  pigeon  flits  around  him  in  his  room 
like  a  messenger  of  peace,  and  it  seems  to  trusting!}^  confide 
in  his  love  and  good  will.  His  mind  is  clear,  and  he  recalls 
and  dwells  upon  the  past,  in  which  he  has  had  such  an  im- 
portant part  in  National  questions  as  well  as  State,  with 
much  interest.  He  recalls  with  evident  pleasure  his  early 
associations  with  the  members  of  the  Legislature  from  this 
county,  and  mentioned  particularly,  Judge  Hazeltine,  Judge 
W^arren  and  Judge  Mullett,  and  dwelt  especially  on  his  long 
and  intimate  acquaintance  with  Governor  Patterson,  an 
intimacy  which  had  existed  for  more  than  a  half  century, 
Governor  Patterson  having  been  a  member  of  Assembly 
successively  from  1832  to  1840,  and  afterward  holding  im- 
portant public  positions,  and  being  the  successor  of  Governor 
Seward  in  the  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  Holland 
Land  Company. 

Mr.  Weed  informed  us  that  in  his  intercourse  with  the 
premier  and  high  officials  in  England,  which  partook  some- 
what of  an  official  character,  he  had  obtained  consent  to 
publish  the  particulars,  the  obligation  of  secrecy  having 
been  withdrawn  with  the  settlement  of  the  questions  of 
diplomacy. 


A  letter  from  Hon.  H.  A.  Risley,  dated  Colorado  Springs,  Col., 
August  17,  1882,  says:  "I  had  a  pleasant  visit  with  Mr.  Weed  in 
New  York.  He  was  much  gratified  by  your  notice  of  him." 


TEMPLE   WORSHIP.  37 


TEMPLE  WORSHIP. 


[Read  before  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  at  Fredonia,  1868,  by  W.  McKmsTRY.] 

The  idea  of  worship  of  a  Superior  Being  is  inherent  to 
man.  It  exists  to  some  extent  among  all  nations.  The 
more  elevated  their  scale  of  existence,  the  more  are  they 
devoted  to  the  adoration  of  a  Supreme  Being — the  preserver 
of  their  existence  and  of  nations.  Some  spot  is  selected 
more  sacred  than  another  for  worship  and  the  performance 
of  ceremonies  supposed  to  be  acceptable  to  the  Being  they 
worship.  The  place  selected  may  be  a  sacred  grove,  or  an 
enclosure  set  apart  for  the  purpose,  a  rude  structure  of  a 
semi-barbarous  people,  or  a  gorgeous  temple  or  cathedral 
of  the  more  civilized  nations. 

The  remains  of  temples  are  among  the  most  ancient  monu- 
ments in  existence.  They  were  doubtless  the  first  public 
edifices  erected.  They  were  in  existence  long  before  Israel 
went  to  Egypt,  and  the  wife  of  Joseph  was  the  daughter  of 
a  Priest  to  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  at  Memphis. 

When  Greece  excelled  all  the  other  nations  in  the  arts, 
she  had  the  most  magnificent  temples.  She  received  from 
Egypt:>  Phoenicia  and  Syria,  the  arts  which  distinguished 
her,  in  which  she  excelled  them.  The  ruins  of  all  ancient 
cities  furnish  examples  of  the  attention  paid  to  temple 
worship.  The  temple  of  Diana  at  Ephesus,  was  regarded 
as  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world,  and  the  sale  of 
shrines  of  the  goddess  made  a  profitable  business  at  the  time 
the  Apostle  Paul  visited  that  city.  The  kings  of  Asia 
Minor  had  vied  with  each  other  in  the  richness  of  their  gifts, 
and  its  destruction  was  caused  by  ambition  for  fame.  The 
temple  of  Minerva  at  Athens,  the  ruins  of  which  show  that 
»  it  was  of  great  magnificence  and  splendor,  showed  that  the 
cultivated  Athenians  were  behind  no  others  in  their  devotion 
to  temple  worship,  and  the  altar  erected  by  the  wayside  to 


38  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  Unknown  God,  showed  that  with  all  their  devotion 
to  temple  worship,  they  were  not  satisfied  that  the  being 
they  worshiped  was  the  being  who  controlled  the  pestilence 
or  the  operations  of  nature.  Each  city  had  a  particular 
tutelary  deity,  and  special  honors  were  paid  him  to  propitiate 
his  favor.  To  secure  favor  required  bloody  sacrifices. 
These  were  offered  by  general  consent  throughout  the 
world,  showing  that  the  natural  conscience  craved  a  sacrifice 
for  sin  and  to  propitiate  the  favor  of  the  deity.  The  greater 
the  straits  to  which  they  were  driven,  the  more  costly  must 
be  the  sacrifice.  Children  were  offered  in  extreme  cases,  as 
during  the  siege  of  Carthage  by  the  Romans. 

It  is  believed  that  during  the  history  of  the  first  three 
thousand  years  of  the  world,  no  temple  of  worship  was 
erected  to  the  Great  Jehovah.  There  was  a  regular  suc- 
cession of  faithful  men  during  all  this  period  and  the  sacri- 
ficial rites  prophetic  of  the  great  sacrifice  were  kept  up. 
One  of  the  greatest  blessings  pronounced  on  a  branch  of  the 
great  human  family,  was  that  God  should  '  'dwell  in  the 
tents  of  Shem, ' '  not  in  their  temples  but  in  their  families. 
He  appeared  to  the  early  patriarchs  in  their  tents  and  pre- 
served the  true  faith  from  generation  to  generation  without 
the  aid  of  temple  worship,  for  thousands  of  years.  Moses 
saw  the  manifestation  of  the  great  I  Am  from  the  burning 
bush,  in  the  land  of  Midian,  and  was  told  "the  place  where 
thou  standest  is  holy  ground."  So  in  all  times  since;  the 
holy  place  is  where  there  is  a  manifestation  of  the  divine 
presence,  whether  in  the  cave  where  safety  from  persecution 
is  sought,  the  conventicle,  the  camp  meeting,  or  wherever 
true  worship  is  given. 

Up  to  the  time  of  Solomon,  the  manifestation  of  the  Divine 
presence  was  in  the  tabernacles  of  men.  A  special  worship 
was  given  in  the  large  tent  where  was  kept  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant.  The  box  or  chest  some  4)^  feet  long  by  2^ 
wide  and  high,  with  handles  by  which  the  priests  should 
carry  it,  held  the  sacred  archives  of  a  chosen  people.  For 
more  than  five  hundred  years,  from  near  the  commencement 
of  their  wanderings  in  the  wilderness  to  the  close  of  King 


TEMPLE   WORSHIP.  39 

David's  reign,  this  sacred  ark  and  the  tabernacle  in  which 
it  was  kept,  were  the  only  objects  of  peculiar  sacredness. 
The  precious  little  box  was  preserved  with  sedulous  care, 
and  when  captured  by  an  enemy  an  aged  patriarch  ex- 
claimed, "The  glory  has  departed,"  and  expired. 

As  the  nation  prospered,  the  humble  tent  for  worship 
became  unsatisfactory  to  the  king.  Solomon  had  become 
very  wealthy  and  had  by  his  alliance  with  the  Phoenician 
maritime  power  extended  his  commercial  relations  to  the 
Indies  on  the  one  hand,  throughout  the  borders  of  the 
Mediterranean  on  the  other,  and  far  into  Africa.  He  desired 
more  splendor  of  worship  and  for  the  purpose  he  erected  a 
magnificent  temple.  It  was  not  large,  being  about  90  feet 
in  length,  30  in  width  and  45  in  height.  It  was  built  of 
stone,  and  the  best  Phoenician  artizans  were  employed  in 
its  structure.  It  was  highly  ornamented  and  the  precious 
materials  from  distant  lands  were  lavishly  employed  upon 
it.  On  three  sides  were  corridors  rising  one  above  the'  other, 
three  stories  in  height,  and  containing  rooms  in  which  were 
preserved  the  holy  utensils  and  treasures.  The  front  was 
open,  with  a  portico  15  feet  in  width,  supported  by  pillars. 
In  the  interior  was  a  room  30  feet  square,  called  the  Holy  of 
Holies,  where  was  the  ark.  To  separate  this  from  the  other 
part  was  the  vail  of  the  temple.  It  was  this  vail  which 
was  rent  at  the  great  sacrifice  which  ended  the  priesthood 
and  the  sacrificial  offerings. 

The  Jews  were  jealous  of  the  honor  of  their  temple.  When 
captives  to  the  Assyrians,  they  mourned  over  the  desola- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  and  hung  their  harps  on  the  willows  by 
the  streams  of  Babylon,  and  could  not  sing  the  songs  of 
Zion  in  a  strange  land  while  the  temple  was  laid  waste  and 
Jerusalem  desolate.  On  their  return  their  first  labor  was  to 
rebuild  the  temple  and  the  walls  of  the  city.  By  degrees 
their  worship  degenerated  into  forms  and  ceremonies  and 
they  became  so  formal  that  they  did  not  regard  spirituality 
as  necessary  for  true  worship.  In  process  of  time,  though 
the  wealth  of  the  nation  was  expended  upon  it  and  a  Roman 


40  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

governor  to  please  them  and  atone  for  his  great  crimes  ex- 
pended great  treasures  upon  it,  still  it  became  a  den  of 
thieves,  of  bankers,  brokers  and  speculators.  With  all  its 
grandeur  and  magnificence,  so  richly  adorned  that  the 
Roman  conqueror  afterwards  desired  to  preserve  it  as  the 
richest  trophy  of  his  conquest,  the  true  faith,  promulgated 
by  the  Great  Teacher,  could  only  take  root  by  its  utter 
destruction,  so  that  not  one  stone  should  be  left  on  another 
that  should  not  be  thrown  down.  The  kingdom  of  the  true 
faith  was  ushered  in  by  a  preacher  clothed  in  a  plain  garb 
of  camel's  hair,  who  gathered  his  food  of  locusts  while  their 
wings  stiffened  in  the  early  morning,  and  from  the  clusters 
of  honey  deposited  among  the  rocks.  The  crowds  who 
flocked  to  hear  him  proclaim  the  coming  Kingdom  which 
should  survive  all  others,  were  not  greeted  with  oratory 
from  grand  cathedrals,  and  with  music  from  trained  quartets, 
but  far  in  the  wilderness  they  saw  this  plain  man,  whose 
power  was  in  the  truths  he  proclaimed  rather  than  in  the 
pomp  and  ceremony  of  their  proclamation. 

When  the  Great  Jehovah  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  it  was 
proclaimed  by  the  hosts  of  Heaven.  Shepherds  watching 
their  flocks  by  night  heard  with  joy  the  announcement,  and 
the  astronomers  of  the  far  east  saw  a  peculiar  star,  which 
led  them  to  the  place  where  this  manifestation  of  God  in 
human  form  was,  and  to  offer  Him  true  worship  and  their 
treasures.  No  announcement  of  this  great  event  was  made 
to  those  who  are  called  by  the  world  its  great  men.  No 
announcement  was  made  from  thrones,  palaces  and  gorgeous 
temples.  Yet  no  purer  worship  was  ever  rendered  than 
from  that  humble  place  in  the  little  village  of  Bethlehem. 

The  great  conquerors  of  the  world  are  those  who  first 
conquer  themselves.  The  succession  of  great  men  of  whom 
the  world  was  not  worthy,  were  usually  unknown  to  fame 
during  their  lives.  They  were  persecuted,  their  lives'  were 
sought,  and  they  were  subjects  of  sorrow,  suffering  and 
sadness  all  their  days.  But  they  had  access  to  the  throne 


TEMPtfi  WOttSHfP.  4! 

of  the  King  of  Kings,  and  their  crowns  will  shine  with  in- 
creasing splendor  through  the  endless  ages  of  eternity,  while 
those  who  persecuted  them  will  be  forgotten  or  their  memory 
only  associated  with  infanry. 

Centuries  passed  and  a  spiritual  worship  took  the  place  of 
the  artistic  forms  of  enlightened  paganism,  till  gradually  the 
pure  worship  promulgated  by  apostolic  preaching  became 
formal,  and  persecutions  were  waged  under  the  Christian 
name.  A  splendid  chnrch  edifice  arose  in  Rome  that  ex- 
•celled  all  the  splendors  of  heathen  worship.  To  this  day 
the  St.  Peter's  church  is  the  wonder  of  the  world  for  magni- 
tude and  beautiful  architectural  proportions.  It  has  visitors 
from  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world,  who  are  profuse  in  its 
praise.  Yet  within  its  influence  no  free  gospel  has  been 
preached  for  centuries  and  no  true  Christian  liberty  has  been 
enjoyed.  No  free  use  of  the  bible  has  been  allowed  fora 
long  period  among  the  people  or  within  the  control  of  the 
central  hierarchial  power  which  reigns  there.  Indulgences 
were  publicly  sold  in  the  streets  of  the  cities  of  Europe  to 
raise  funds  for  its  erection.  It  was  founded  in  the  crushed 
hopes  of  human  liberty  and  a  free  conscience,  while  it  made 
merchandise  of  the  souls  of  men.  The  very  soil  has  been 
enriched  by  the  blood  of  the  martyrs.  The  fires  of  the 
auto  dafc  were  kindled  through  its  influence.  The  great 
temples  of  the  Pagan  and  Christian  world  have  been  filled 
with  dead  men's  bones.  Men's  minds  have  been  fettered 
by  their  behests.  Even  the  influence  which  erected  the 
magnificent  St.  Peter's  church  at  Rome  made  Galileo  deny 
with  his  own  hand  that  the  world  moves  on  its  axis,  and 
would  make  the  sun  travel  three  hundred  and  twenty 
millions  of  miles  every  day  to  give  us  evening  and  morning. 
But  '  'the  world  moves' '  notwithstanding  these  ecclesiastical 
assertions  to  the  contrary.  With  the  continued  revolutions 
of  the  earth  great  changes  are  wrought.  From  the  cloisters 
in  a  German  city  light  breaks  forth.  The  magic  types 
spread  this  light.  Revolutions  succeed  revolutions  and  the 


42  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

life  throes  of  the  nations  in  their  struggles  for  freedom  in- 
crease the  dawning  light  of  the  reformation.  In  due  time  a 
little  colony  seeks  on  the  bleak  shores  of  New  England,  a 
place  where  there  is  freedom  to  worship  God.  In  mid- 
winter, 248  years  ago,  their  songs  of  praise  went  up  to  the 
Most  High  on  that  bleak,  wilderness  shore.  The  light  spread. 
Freedom's  banner  has  been  lifted  up  in  every  part  of  our 
land.  From  the  convulsions  of  the  old  world  a  nation  was 
born.  In  its  parturition  struggles  "the  L,ord,  the  L,ord  of 
Hosts,  mighty  in  battle' '  was  invoked  to  its  aid.  In  the 
severe  trials  at  Valley  Forge  the  Nation's  Chieftain  was 
known  to  retire  from  his  camp,  and  in  Nature's  great  temple 
invoke  the  aid  of  the  Great  Being  in  whose  hands  are  the 
destinies  of  nations.  Liberty  prevailed  and  with  it  freedom 
to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  our  own 
consciences  had  a  constitutional  guaranty,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  valued  heritages  of  this  great  nation.  The  foundations 
of  our  government  were  laid  in  faith  in  God,  and  it  is  by 
His  blessing  that  this  has  become  in  its  influences  for  good, 
the  greatest  nation  of  the  world.  The  church  edifices  and 
the  school  houses  dot  our  land  as  they  do  no  other,  and  the 
history  of  the  world  for  six  thousand  years  has  never  pre- 
sented a  parallel  of  National  growth  and  prosperity  with 
ours. 

But  with  all  these  blessings,  though  the  freest  nation  in 
the  world,  not  all  were  free — not  all  "called  no  man  master." 
The  cry  of  the  oppressed  entered  the  ears  of  Him  who  gave 
us  a  national  existence.  We  were  convulsed  by  civil  war. 
Every  church  and  congregation  throughout  the  land  sent 
its  aid  to  those  who  were  fighting  the  battles  of  the  country. 
Christian  and  sanitary  commissions  were  sent  out  to  the 
soldiers,  and  treasures  without  stint  were  freely  bestowed 
that  Freedom  might  live,  and  the  experiment  of  a  Free 
Government  might  not  be  in  vain.  The  prayers  of  faith 
went  up  from  the  closet,  the  family  altar,  the  church  edifice 
and  the  tented  field,  and  by  faith  the  nation  was  saved,  to 
be  an  example  to  the  old  world  and  to  the  latest  generations. 
No  gorgeous  powers  of  a  State  religion  were  employed,  but 


TEMPLE   WORSHIP.  43 

the  great  National  heart  was  moved.  The  proclamation  of 
our  noble  President  calling  a  nation  to  prayer  was  not  in 
vain.  Thousands  of  altars  blazed  with  the  true  fires  of 
devotion  throughout  the  land,  and  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant 
was  in  every  tented  field. 

On  the  shores  of  the  James  River,  near  where  some  250 
years  before  an  English  colon y  had  been  planted,  the  great 
Union  army  lay  through  the  long  and  dreary  winter  months 
of  1864-5.  Opposite  them  was  the  enemy  who  sought  to 
make  our  experiment  of  free  government  a  failure.  More 
than  200,000  men,  the  strength  and  vigor  of  the  nation, 
were  on  that  tented  field.  Men  who  loved  freedom  more 
even  than  their. father  land,  were  there  from  other  countries. 
The  great  struggle  was  near  its  culmination,  and  the  eyes  of 
the  world  were  fixed  anxiously  upon  them.  In  the  midst  of 
a  cluster  of  pines,  four  or  five  miles  back  from  Petersburg, 
were  the  headquarters  of  Gen.  Meade.  150,000  men  were 
encamped  in  long  lines  to  the  right  and  left  of  him.  A  short 
distance  from  his  quarters  a  chapel  tent  was  erected.  On  a 
Sabbath  morning  just  previous  to  the  march  of  the  5th 
corps  to  the  battle  of  Hatcher's  Run,  the  bugle  call  invited 
to  religious  service.  Some  rough  seats  had  been  ex- 
temporized, and  a  congregation  of  officers  of  the  Union 
army  at  the  headquarters  had  assembled,  when  Bishop  Lee, 
Gen.  Maade  and  several  staff  officers  entered.  No  female 
voices  mingled  in  the  responses  or  songs  of  praise.  The 
Bishop  spoke  of  having  held  services  in  church  edifices  of 
more  pretensions  of  architectural  style,  but  never  before 
where  the  place  and  occasion  gave  him  so  much  pleasure. 
At  the  same  time,  a  short  distance  away,  Bishop  Janes,  of 
this  State,  was  holding  service,  and  throughout  that  long 
line  of  army  tents  the  chapels  erected  were  filled  with  self- 
sacrificing  men,  laboring  faithfully  for  the  welfare  of  the 
whole  army  there  encamped.  For  more  than  twenty  miles 
of  front,  the  chapel  tents  were  interspersed,  and  the  bugle 
called  together  an  army  of  worshipers.  To  my  eye,  no 
more  beautiful  houses  of  worship  were  ever  constructed  than 
some  of  those  unpretending  chapels  which  the  soldiers  had 


44  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

erected.  The  stockade  enclosure  was  roofed  with  a  large 
tent  provided  by  the  Christian  Commission — the  contri- 
bution of  all  the  denominations  in  the  land.  No  sooner 
was  the  soldier  encamped  and  his  own  tent  prepared  than 
the  chapel  tent  was  erected,  where  faithful  worshipers  were 
wont  to  assemble  for  devotional  exercises.  There  were 
earnest  men  in  those  assemblies, — men  of  faith, — men  who 
wrestled  to  obtain  the  blessing  from  the  great  Arbiter  of 
nations.  So  all  along  the  line  prayers  and  praises  ascended 
to  the  Most  High,  from  that  great  army.  If  the  prophets 
of  old  could  have  looked  down  upon  those  scenes,  they 
would  have  exclaimed  as  did  one  nearly  4rooo  years  before,. 
"How  beautiful  are  thy  tentsrOh  Jacob,  and  thy  tabernacles, 
Oh  Israel,"  Through  faith  the  victory  was  won,  and  our 
country  is  presented  as  it  never  was  before,  in  its  purity  and 
fidelity  to  principle  as  a  model  to  the  nations  of  the  world. 
The  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  throughout  the 
country  performed  an  important  work  in  accomplishing  this 
great  victory.  Many  of  its  members  were  soldiers.  Every 
institution  of  learning  laid  upon  the  altar  of  the  country  her 
choicest  treasures.  The  world  never  saw  before  such  an 
army  as  ours,  with  so  much  moral  power  combined  with 
physical  force.  No  other  nation  in  the  world  has  the  material 
for  such  an  army.  The  influence  of  Christian  faith  among 
churches  of  all  denominations  made  it  what  it  was,  an  in- 
vincible army. 

Peace  and  war  alike  have  their  victories.  The  armies  of 
those  who  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  are  yet  to  conquer 
the  world,  for  in  the  prophetic  visions  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  to  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  His 
Christ,  and  He  is  to  reign  over  them.  The  faithful  army  of 
witnesses  for  the  truth,  in  their  several  denominational  ranks 
and  columns,  are  yet  to  conquer  the  world,  for  such  is  the 
record  of  inspiration. 

The  victory  will  only  be  won  after  long  and  faithful 
service  in  the  field.  The  skirmishers  are  on  every  continent, 
and  on  the  islands  of  the  ocean.  It  will  be  announced  after 


TEMPLE   WORSHIP.  45 

centuries  of  toil  and  watchfulness  that  the  conflict  is  over, 
that  the  Tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell 
with  them.  In  the  beatitude  of  that  period,  there  will  be 
no  temple  worship,  "for  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the 
Lamb  are  the  temple  thereof. ' '  The  true  worship  under 
the  present  dispsnsation  is  not  at  Mt.  Gerazim  or  Jerusalem, 
but  is  a  spiritual  worship,  not  confined  to  denominations, 
localities  or  forms.  In  the  true  temple  worship  of  the 
spiritual  temple,  composed  only  of  believers,  "who  shall 
ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord,  and  who  shall  stand  in  His 
holy  place?  He  that  hath  clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart." 
"Lift  up  your  heads  Oh  ye  Gates,  and  be  ye  lifted  up  ye  ever- 
lasting doors,  a,nd  the  King  of  Glory  shall  come  in." 


46  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES.- 


THE  CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL,. 


[From  the  account  in  the  CENSOR  of  Feb.  8T  1871.]' 

You  are  respectfully  invited  to  a  supper  to  be  given  on 
Wednesday  evening,  Feb.  ist,  to  HON.  HENRY  C.  FRISBEE,  the 
founder  of  the  Fredonia  Censor,  on  the  completion  of  its  fiftieth 
volume.  Supper  will  be  served  in  Barmore  &  Ball's  hallr  at  7:30 

o'clock. 

Yours  truly, 

W.   McKlNSTRY. 

Fredonia,  N.  Y.,  Jan,  25,   1871. 

In   response   to  the    above,    the  following;  letters  were 
received: 

From  HON.  FRANK  W.  PALMER   M.  C.,  of  Iowa,  formerly  publisher 

of  the  Jamestown  fournal: 

WASHINGTON,  Jan.  29,  1871. 

Friend  McKinstry:  I  am  in  receipt  of  your  kind  invitation  to  a 
supper  to  be  given  on  the  first  proximo,  in  honor  of  Hon.  Henry 
C.  Frisbee,  the  founder  of  the  Censor,  on  the  completion  of  the  first 
fifty  years  of  its  publication. 

Official  duties  here  will  prevent  my  attendance  at  your  proposed 
semi-centennial  anniversary.  May  I  ask  you,  however,  to  convey  to 
the  honored  patriarch  of  Chautauqua  County  journalism  the 
assurance  of  my  most  earnest  sympathy  and  respect.  For  thirty 
years  I  have  known  him  as  a  citizen,  and  honored  him  for  the  high 
character  he  had  established  as-  an  editor.  When  I  -was  an  humble 
beginner  in  editorial  labor  at  the  foot  of  Chautauqua  Lake,  the 
height  of  my  ambition  was  to  make  as  good  a  paper  as  the  Censor 
had  become  under  his  administration.  After  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
century  of  journalistic  experience,  I  can  most  heartily  endorse  mv 
earlier  admiration  for  our  honored  friend,  and  if  some  day  my  own 
son  should  aspire  to  hurl  thunder-bolts  from  the  Olympus  of  a 
village  newspaper,  I  know  of  no  better  teacher  than  can  be  furnished 
in  the  files  of  the  Censor  from  1821  to  1871. 

Very  truly  yours, 

FRANK  W.  PALMER. 


CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  47 

From  HORACE  GREELEY: 

DEAR  SIR:  I  should  much  like  to  attend  your  festival,  but 
must  not.  I  first  visited  the  Censor  office,  and  was  hospitably 
•entertained  by  Mr.  Frisbee,  in  October,  1834.  Chautauqua  County 
was  then  three-fourths  covered  with  the  primitive  forest,  through 
which  I  made  my  way  with  difficulty  on  foot  to  Clymer,  near  which 
my  father  resided.  There  were  not  then  forty  frame  houses  in  the 
County  south  of  tne  ridge  and  westward  of  Mayville.  No  public 
conveyance  then  traversed  that  wild  region.  Mr.  Krisbee  was 
somewhat  younger  than  he  is  now,  but  perhaps  no  stronger,  or  more 
keenly  alive  to  all  social  and  moral  good.  1  rejoice  that  he  has  been 
spared  to  see  the  (wig  he  planted  become  a  stately  tree,  and  hope 
he  may  live  many  years  longer  to  rejoice  in  the  great  reform  which 
has  made  us  a  free  people,  and  of  which  he  was  so  early  and 
faithful  an  advocate. 

Yours, 

HORACE  GREELEY. 


From  Hon.  E.  T.  FOOTE,    Member  of  Assembly  in    1826  and    1827, 

and  County  J  udge  from  1824  to  1843: 
Hon.  HENRY  C.  FRISBEE, 

My  worthy  old  friend;  The  commencement  of  an  acquaintance 
and  friendship  continued  through  half  a  century  is  unusual.  We 
settled  in  Cbautauqua  County  at  different  periods,  under  similar 
circumstances.  It  will  be  56  years  next  Spring  since  I  settled  in 
Jamestown.  By  industry  and  integrity  you  established  the  first 
permanent  newspaper  in  the  County.  All  before  it  and  many  after 
it  were  ephemeral.  The  Censor  has  had  a  gradual  and  healthy 
growth,  until  it  has  become  one  ot  the  oldest  and  well  established 
papers  in  Western  New  York.  You  were  never  accused,  while  con- 
ducting it,  of  sacrificing  conscience  and  honor  to  sustain  a  candidate 
by  bribery  and  corruption. 

What  changes  a  kind  Providence  has  permitted  us  to  witness 
within  half  a  century!  We  are  proud  to  look  at  the  advance  of  our 
beloved  Chautauqua  as  it  was,  and  now  is,  except  the  manner  in 
which  her  late  political  strife  has  been  conducted,  but  the  recent 
election  encourages  a  confident  hope  that  a  returning  sense  of  honor 
and  integrity  will  hereafter  mark  the  result.  We  have  seen  the 
advance  of  liberty  and  humanity,  and  an  unparalleled  advance  in 
what  is  usually  enumerated  among  the  arts  and  sciences,  but  I  have 
no  time  or  space  to  enumerate  even  prominent  items.  We  should 
rejoice  in  what  we  have  been  permitted  to  see.  I  feel  that 
comparatively  speaking  we  have  witnessed  the  advance  and  im- 
provements of  an  entire  century. 

Where  are  your  first  patrons?      Where  are  our  pioneer  friends? 


48  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

How  few  of  them  remain  !  Had  I  space,  I  should  gladly  allude  to 
many  of  them.  They  are  gone.  May  we  be  duly  prepared  by  grace 
to  join  them,  while 

'•We  nightly  pitch  our  moving  tents 
A  day's  march  nearer  home." 

As  ever, 

E.  T.  FOOTE. 
New  Haven,  Ct.,  Tan.  28,  1871. 


From  A.  W.  McKiNSTRY,  formerly  associate  editor  of  the  Censor: 

FARIBAULT,  Minn.,  Jan.  27,  1871. 

Dear  Brother:  Your  invitation  to  attend  the  semi-centennial 
anniversary  of  the  Fredonia  Censor  is  rec  eived.  I  regret  that 
circumstances  preclude  me  trom  the  pleasure  of  mingling  with  the 
friends  and  patrons  who  will  gather  upon  that  occasion,  to  do  honor 
to  the  venerable  founder  of  a  paper  which  has  in  turn  become 
venerable  with  years.  Rare  indeed  is  it  that  the  original  editor  and 
publisher  of  a  journal  survives  to  rally  with  its  friends  around  its 
half  century  mile-stone,  and  it  is  well  that  so  happy  a  conjuction 
should  not  be  passed  without  notice. 

The  thought  of  the  occasion  stimulates  my  memory  to  recall 
the  events  of  long  buried  years,  and  although  there  will  be  those  at 
your  festival  whose  recollection  goes  back  far  beyond  mine,  I  am 
tempted  to  record  some  of  the  changes  that  have  occurred  since  I 
first  entered  upon  my  career  as  a  disciple  of  Faust,  in  the  old  Censor 
office,  twenty-seven  years  ago. 

Well  do  I  recollect  every  feature  of  the  two  dingy  apartments 
which  then  served  the  combined  uses  of  sanctum,  composing  room 
and  press  room,  and  how  the  youthful  illusions  I  had  imbibed, 
which  cast  a  halo  of  glory  around  the  press  as  the  dispenser  of  light 
and  knowledge,  faded  as  rapidly  under  the  experience  of  blistered 
hands,  ink-smirched  sleeves  and  face,  and  the  lugging  of  wood  and 
water,  as  the  fairy  pictures  traced  upon  the  window  pane  by  Jack 
Frost  are  dissolved  by  the  gleam*  of  the  unclouded  sun.  Of  the 
patrons  whom  I  then  served  in  my  weekly  round  as  carrier  boy, 
how  few  are  left !  The  only  man  now  in  active  business  who  was 
then  a  business  man  upon  Main  street,  I  believe,  is  L.  B.  Grant, 
then  a  member  of  the  firm  of  J.  Forbes  &  Co.,  who  advertised  their 
place  as  "the  old  two  door  store,"  thus  arrogating  an  aristocratic 
distinction  over  all  their  one  door  cotemporaries.  Of  the  others, 
Gens.  Barker  and  Risley,  D.  W.  Douglass,  Philo  H.  Stevens,  N. 
H.  Whitcomb,  Doctors  White  "and  Clark,  the  bluff  but  genial  post- 
master, John  Lamson,  and  others  whose  names  I  cannot  stop  to 


CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  49 

recall,  all  now  sleep  with  their  fathers,  and  a  new  generation  has 
arisen  who  knew  them  not.  Of  the  large-heartedness  of  the  first 
earned  gentleman,  as  well  as  the  Risley  Brothers,  the  carrier  boys 
of  that  day  had  a  high  opinion,  as  they  were  always  rewarded  with 
a  quarter  of  a  dollar  for  their  New  Years  Addresses,  The  farthest 
place  in  the  suburbs  to  which  I  made  a  weekly  pilgrimage  with  the 
Censor,  was  the  brick  mansion  of  Thos.  G.  AbelL,  Esq.,  then  re- 
garded by  us  as  truly  a  palatial  residence,  and  always  approached 
with  awe,  which  was  the  only  house  upon  Dunkirk  street,  or 
Central  Avenue,  except  the  farm  building  upon  or  near  the  site  now 
occupied  by  the  fine  residence  of  R.  Hay  wood.,  Esq.  The  village 
school  was  kept  in  a  stone  bastile,  which  has  since  been  metamor- 
phosed into  the  handsome  residence  of  O.  W.  Johnson,  Esq.  Center 
street  extended  only  to  Barker  street,  and  was  called  Nassau,  or 
more  commonly  Nasty  street,  which  unsavory  designation  was 
applied  in  consequence  of  its  narrowness,  and  livery  and  stage  barn 
associations. 

During  the  political  campaign  of  1844,  the  Censor  was  edited  by 
Messrs.  Henry  Keep  and  B.  F.  Greene.  The  former  is  now  one  of 
the  "solid  men"  of  Chicago,  while  the  latter,  atter  winning  honorable 
judicial  distinction,  passed  away  too  soon  for  his  sun  to  have  attained 
its  meridian  splendor.  As  I  was  then  but  a  neophyte  in  political 
matters,  and  my  native  place  had  not  been  deeply  stirred  with 
partisan  strife.  I  can  well  recall  the  amazement  with  which  I  beheld 
the  strong  feelings  and  rancor  awakened  between  the  two  parties  in 
the  memorable  campaign  of  that  year.  How  the  Censor  blazed  in 
double  shotted  columns,  studded  with  exclamation  points  like  brist- 
ling bayonets,  against  the  treacherous  Tyler, —  since  rendered 
respectable  by  Andy's  apostasy  and  the  insignificance  of  the 
statesman  whom  the  Democracy  had  nominated  from  Ten- 
nessee. The  serio-comic  events  of  that  day  are  too  numerous 
to  allow  of  more  than  a  bare  allusion  to  a  few.  How  the 
Whigs  raised  an  ash  pole,  upon  which  the  Democrats  ran  up  a 
defunct  coon,  and  cut  the  halyards;  how  the  Democrats  raised  a 
hickory  pole  upon  which  the  Whig  boys  ran  up  a  horse  "poke,"  and 
tangled  the  halyards  above  the  reach  of  the  longest  ladder;  how  the 
Democrats  organized  a  band  to  rejoice  the  faithful,  and  promote 
enthusiasm  with  the  melody  of  brass  instruments,  and  how  the 
intolerapt  young  Whigs  followed  with  a  Calithumpian  institution, 
which  overwhelmed  the  notes  of  the  other  with  the  mellow 
dissonance  of  multitudinous  tin  horns,  and  the  mellifluous  cadences 
of  the  horse  fiddle;  and  then  the  crowning  glories  of  the  great 
barbecue,  when  the  crowd  gathered  trom  far  and  near  like  the  rush 
of  many  waters,  till  there  was  such  a  multitude  as  no  man  had  before 
seen  in  Fredonia,  and  I  don't  know  but  we  might  safely  add, 


50  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

greater  than  any  since, — when  four  speakers  simultaneously  poured 
forth  the  lava  of  their  eloquence  from  as  many  stands  upon  the 
unfenced  common;  the  gifted  Mullett  and  the  witty  and  caustic 
Dudley  Marvin  occupying  two  of  these,  while  the  smoke  of  savory 
rounds  of  beef  mid  piles  of  bread  ascended  from  the  barbecue 
ground  on  the  east  hill,  and  the  Democrats  who  came  to  scoff 
remained  to  eat, — are  not  all  these  events,  with  many  more,  fresh  in 
the  memories  of  some  who  will  gather  around  your  festive  board, 
as  well  as  of  the  writer's  ? 

But  to  return  to  the  old  Censor  office.  Among  its  staunch  patrons 
and  constant  visitors  in  that  day,  none  were  more  frequent  than 
Hon.  Alvah  H.  Walker  and  Judge  John  Crane,  whose  visits  for  the 
sake  of  perusing  the  Albany  Evening  Journa  t  (dailies  were  not  as 
accessible  then  as  now,)  were  as  regular  as  the  sun  in  its  diurnal 
rising,  and  the  familiarity  of  the  former  with  the  names  of  all  the 
members  of  Congress,  and  the  State  Legislature,  their  districts  and 
majorities,  was  to  us  a  never  ending  source  of  wonder. 

Truly  Yours, 

A.   W.   McKlNSTRY. 


From  Hon.  ROSCOK  CONKLING,  U.  S.  Senator  from  New  York: 

SENATE,  WASHINGTON,  Jan.  28,  1871. 

MY  DEAR  SIR:  I  have  the  pleasure  to  acknowledge  an  invitation 
to  attend  a  supper  to  be  given  to  the  Hon.  Henry  C.  Frisbee,  in 
celebration  of  his  founding  the  Fredonta  Censor  fifty  years  ago. 
The  brevity  of  life,  and  the  rapidity  of  its  mutations,  render  it 
remarkable  that,  begun  so  far  away  in  the  past,  the  paper  should 
continue,  and  with  it  the  man  who  established  it.  This  alone  would 
be  the  appropriate  subject  of  notice,  but  when  the  man  and  the 
paper  add  usefulness  and  integrity  to  length  of  life,  the  case  is  one 
which  public  virtue  and  personal  friendship  should  prosper  with 
their  praise. 

I  should  be  glad  to  join  the  neighbors  of  Mr.  F.  in  so  agreeable 
an  occasion,  and  I  am  grateful  for  being  remembered.  It  is,  how- 
ever, my  duty  to  be  in  my  seat,  and  I  must  forego  the  pleasure. 
My  best  wishes,  however,  will  go — while  I  remain,  cordially  your 
obedient  servant, 

ROSCOE  CONKLING. 


From  MARK  TWAIN: 

BUFFALO,  Jan.  28. 

DEAR  SIR:  I  thank  you  very  much  indeed  for  your  kind 
invitation  to  attend  the  celebration  of  an  event  which,  in  this 
country,  (yes,  in  any  country,)  is  so  unusual  as  to  well  deserve  to  be 


CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  51 

termed  remarkable — and  that,  too,  with  emphasis — the  fiftieth 
birth-day  of  a  newspaper  !  We  are  accustomed  to  contemplate  the 
seventy  years  of  the  New  York  Evening  Post,  and  one  hundred 
and  six  years  of  the  Connecticut  Courant  with  a  sort  of  awe-inspired 
veneration, — and  here  you  come  startling  us  with  a  half-century 
veteran  reared  in  a  western  village  !  I  doff  my  hat  to  the  hale 
patriarch,  and  record  the  hope  that  the  Fredonta  Censor  may  still 
be  hale  at  a  hundred  and  fifty. 

Sincerely  regretting  my  inability  to  be  present  at  the  dinner,  I 
am  yours  truly, 

MARK  TWAIN. 


From  DAVID  EATON,    Esq.,  the  first  Clerk  of  the  Board   of  Super- 
visors. 

PORTLAND,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  27,  1871. 
DEAR  SIR:  — 

Your  kind  invitation  to  me  to  be  present  at  a  Supper  to  be 
given  at  the  close  of  the  fiftieth  Volume  of  the  Fredonia  Censor, 
has  been  duly  received,  and  I  thank  you  most  heartily  for  it.  It 
would  be  very  pleasant  to  be  present  on  that  occasion,  but  the 
infirmities  of  age  forbid.  If  I  live  till  the  second  day  of  February, 
I  shall  be  89  years  old.  My  eyes  have  become  so  dim  that  I  can 
hardly  see  to  write,  and  my  hearing  is  so  impaired  that  I  can  seldom 
understand  a  word  of  ordinary  conversation.  My  footsteps  are 
feeble,  and  the  death  of  the  late  Judge  Mixer,  (who  was  a  school- 
mate of  mine  in  our  boyhood  days)  forcibly  reminds  me  of  the 
necessity  of  caution  at  every  step.  I  therefore  beg,  most  respectfully, 
to  be  excused.  I  have  outlived  almost  all  my  acquaintances  of 
fifty  years  ago,  and  it  is  highly  gratifying  to  know  that  I  am  not 
wholly  forgotten  by  the  few  that  remain.  Please  give  my  best 
respects  to  Mr.  Frisbee,  and  believe  me,  my  dear  Sir, 

Yours,  most  truly, 

DAVID  EATON. 


From  DR.  J.  G.  HOLLAND,  (Timothy  Titcomb.) 

BRIGHTWOOD,  SPRINGFIELD,  Mass.,  Jan.  28,  1871. 
W.  MCKINSTRY,  ESQ.: — 

Dear  Sir: — It  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  attend  the 
Supper  to  Hon.  Henry  C.  Frisbee  on  the  first  proximo,  but  lam 
too  iar  away.  I  thank  you,  however,  for  thinking  of  me,  and  you 
will  receive  from  me  the  sincerest  congratulations  on  the  news- 
paper success  which  makes  the  semi-centennial  of  the  Censor  so 
significant.  The  Censor  is  one  of  a  limited  class  of  papers  in  this 


52  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

country  that  seem  to  go  on  from  year  to  year  accumulating' 
character,  yielding  prosperity  to  their  owners,  and  establishing 
themselves  as  permanent  institutions.  I  should  as  soon  expect  to> 
hear  that  Lake  Erie  was  dry,  or  that  Niagara  river  was  running  up 
hill,  as  to  hear  that  the  Fredonia  Censor  had  ceased  to  exist.  It  is  a. 
thing  of  the  centuries. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

J.  G.  HOLLAND. 


Prom  HON.  A.    H.  WALKER  one  of  the  earliest  merchants  of  the 
village,  and  subsequently  State  Senator. 

ST.  JOHNS,  Mich.,  Jan.  28,  1871. 
W.  McKiNSTRY,  Esq. — 

Dear  Sir: — I  received  your  kind  invitation  to  be  present  on  the 
evening  of  the  first  of  February  next,  at  the  Semi-Centenial 
anniversary  supper  to  the  Hon.  H.  C.  Frisbee,  the  founder  of  the 
Fredonia  Censor,  on  the  completion  of  its  fiftieth  volume.  It  would 
give  me  great  pleasure  to  be  present  on  that  occasion,  and  hold 
converse  with  the  friends,  who  remain,  of  my  earlier  years,  and 
contemplate  the  improvements  that  have  been  made  in  Fredonia 
and  its  vicinity,  since  the  commencement  of  the  publication  of  that 
paper.  But  I  fear  I  shall  be  obliged  to  forego  that  satisfaction. 
Since  its  first  publication  I  have  been  a  regular  and  interested 
reader  of  the  Censor,  and,  with  many  others,  feel  gratified  with  its 
success  and  the  success  of  its  proprietors.  I  can  in  some  measure 
realize  the  satisfaction  that  Mr.  Frisbee  and  his  co-laborers  must 
enjoy  in  the  contrast  of  the  situation  of  your  county  in  1871  with 
1821.  Then  you  had  little  except  a  pleasant  location  which  nature 
had  given  your  vicinity,  with  stout  hearts  and  willing  hands;  now 
you  are  surrounded  with  all  the  elements  of  refined  enjoyment.  To 
the  Censor  and  its  management,  in  no  small  degree,  is  the  com- 
munity indebted  for  the  pleasing  change.  There  can  be  no  greater 
earthly  pleasure  than  to  see  that  your  exertions  have  been  successful 
and  have  accomplished  that  which  you  intended  at  the  commence- 
ment. Integrity  of  purpose,  intelligent  use  of  the  means  within 
your  reach,  with  industrious  perseverance  in  business,  are  sure 
elements  of  success,  and  those  who  are  to  come  after  you  may  with 
triumph  appeal  to  the  Censor  and  its  conductors  for  the  confirmation 
of  this  principle. 

I  trust  that  the  memory  of  the  Censor  may  be  cherished;  its 
precepts  and  principles  adopted — in  the  orange  groves  of  the  sunny 
South,  on  the  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  on  the  parallels  of  its 


CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  53 

latitude  in  the  distant  West;  and  wherever  in  our  country  it  may  be 
read,  and  that  its  influence  may  continue  to  be  felt  for  good. 

Mr.  Krisbee,    yourself,    and   my  other  old  friends,  will  please 
accept  my  best  wishes. 

•  Yours,  very  truly, 

A.  H   WALKER. 


From  Hon.  ABNER  HAZELTINE,  a  member  of  the   Assembly  in  1829 

and  1830,  and  of  Congress  from  1833  to  1837. 

JAMESTOWN,  Jan.  30,  1871 

Dear  Sir: — I  am  much  obliged  to  you  and  the  other  friends 
who  have  so  kindly  remembered  me,  by  inviting  me  to  participate 
in  celebrating  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Fredonia  Censor.  It 
would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  meet  you  and  other  friends, 
especially  my  old  friend  FRISBEE,  the  Patriarch  of  the  Censor.  I 
confess  to  a  somewhat  singular  feeling  in  giving  him  that  title.  It 
seems  but  only  yesterday,  that  I  read  in  the  Chautauqua  Gazette  a 
communication,  written  by  a  leading  politician  of  the  county,  who 
many  years  since  departed  this  life,  in  which  our  now  venerable 
friend  was  spoken  of  as  "little  Henry  Frzsbee,"  on  account  of  his 
youth.  But  this  fling  at  the  boy,  as  the  writer  then  esteemed  him, 
did  not  prevent  his  becoming  a  man. 

So  much  for  the  founder.  I  will  now  give  my  appreciation  of 
what  he  founded.  And  here  I  would  say  that  I  claim  some  right  to 
speak,  having  been  myself  a  sort  of  adjunct  of  the  newspaper  press 
of  this  countv  on  two  occasions.  First,  1  had  something  to  do  in 
getting  up  and  writing  for  the  Chautauqua  Eagle,  the  second  news- 
paper published  in  tne  county;  and  afterwards  and  for  a  longer  period, 
I  had  something  to  do  in  conducting  the  Jamestown  Journal. 

My  testimony  in  regard  to  the  paper  is,  that  it  has  ever  been 
respectable  in  point  of  ability,  and  has  been  conducted  with  uniform 
courtesy  and  good  temper.  It  has  ever  been  a  paper  that  could  be 
safely  put  in  the  hands  of  the  young  without  any  fear  ot 
detriment  to  their  principles  or  morals.  It  has  been  singularly  free 
from  that  coarse  vulgarity  and  slang,  those  miserable  attempts  at 
wit,  at  the  expense  often  of  things  sacred  and  dear  to  us  all;  and 
those  ribald  attacks  on  private  character,  which  in  this  age  so  much 
abound,  and  mar  so  many  publications. 

I  have  said  it  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  participate  in 
your  festivities;  but  my  age  and  the  inclemency  of  the  season  will 
hardly  permit  it.  At  a  more  genial  season  I  might  have  felt  at 
liberty  to  unite  with  my  old  friends  in  doing  honor  to  the  occasion. 

Very  truly  yours, 

A.  HAZELTINE. 


54  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

Prom  THURLOW  WEED,  the  founder  of  the  Albany  Evening  Journal' 

NEW  YORK,  January  31,  1871, 

Dear  Sir: — The  venerable  founder  of  the  Censor  is  worthy  of  the 
honors  you  are  about  to  confer  on  him.  My  knowledge  of  the 
Fredonia  Censor  runs  back  through  the  whole  fifty  years  that  it  has 
been  upholding  good  order  and  good  government.  During  the 
first  forty  years  of  its  existence,  its  sentiments  and  sympathies, 
politically  and  socially,  were  in  accord  with  the  Rochester  Telegraph 
and  Albany  hventng  Journal.  In  the  important  and  exciting 
political  campaigns  from  1824  to  1857,  I  never  failed,  on  any  question 
concerning  the  general  welfare  or  affecting  the  State  or  Federal 
Governments,  to  find  prompt  and  efficient  co-operation  both  in  the 
Fredonia  Censor,  and  its  neighbor,  the  Jamestown  Journal.  You 
need  not,  therefore,  be  assured  that  I  retain  an  affectionate 
remembrance  of  those  journals  and  their  editors. 

Nor  does  my  interest  in  Chautauqua  County  stop  here.  In  its. 
earlier  history  I  was  closely  and  agreeably  associated  with  its  pnbhc 
men.  Chautauqua  County,  in  its  infancy,  was  not  les •;  fortunate  in 
the  industry,  intelligence  and  honesty  of  its  inhabitants,  than  in  the 
ability,  integrity  and  patriotism  which  distinguished  its  representative 
men.  With  James  Mullet,  Jr.,  I  formed  an  acquaintance  in  the 
memorable  Legislature  of  1824,  which  ripened  into  a  close  and 
enduring  friendship.  With  Nathan  Mixer,  his  worthy  successor,  I 
was  also  intimately  acquainted;  and  I  recall  with  pride  and  plea'sure 
the  close  friendships  formed  and  maintained  in  succeeding  years 
with  Abner  Hazeltine,  Squire  White,  John  Birdsall,  Elijah  Risley, 
Alvin  Plumb,  Orren  McClure,  Richard  P.  Marvin,  Calvin  Rumsey, 
George  A,  French.  Abner  Lewis.  Henry  C.  Frisbee,  Charles  J. 
Orton,  and  other  representative  men  from  Chautauqua,  whose  high 
intelligence  and  proverbial  integrity  would  have  reflected  honor 
upon  any  constituency. 

You  have  also   among  you  another   old  and    cherished  personal 

and  political  friend,  who  has  performed  his  share  of  public  duty  as 
Member  of  Assembly,  as  its  Speaker,  and  as  Lieutenant  Governor 
of  the  State — and  performed  it  well.  As  a  neighbor,  a  citizen,  a 
politician,  a  representative  of  the  people,  and  a  friend,  I  have  never 
known  a  more  obliging,  public  spirited,  consistent,  upright,  or 
devoted  man,  than  George  W.  Patterson. 

Please  remember  me  to  Mr.  Frisbee,  and  accept  for  yourself  my 
best  wishes  for  your  prosperity  and  happiness. 

THURLOW  WEED. 


From  Hor.  R.  E.  FENTON,  U.  S.  Senator  from  New  York,  and  Ex- 
Governor  of  the  State,  a  nativeand  resident  of  Chautauqua. 

WASHINGTON.  Jan.  30,  1871. 
Dear  Sir: — Your  invitation  to  the  banquet  you  propose  to  give 

in   Fredonia    on    the  ist  proximo,  in   honor  of  the  founder   of  the 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENXIAfc.  55 

Censor  on  the  completion  of  its  fiftieth  volume,  finds  me  engaged  in 
public  duties  demanding  my  attention;  and  much  pleasure  as  it 
would  give  me  to  take  Mr.  Frisbee  by  the  hand,  and  meet  so  many 
friends  on  that  occasion,  I  feel  constrained  reluctantly  to  forego  it. 
I  beg  you  to  believe,  however,  that  I  am  not  wanting  in  apprecia- 
tion of  the  valuable  service  rendered  by  the  Censor  to  every  good 
cause  during  the  fifty  years  it  has  been  published  without  interrup- 
tion, of  the  intelligence  and  zeal  which  have  characterized  its 
efficient  advocacy  of  sound  principles,  of  the  honor  due  its  venerable 
founder,  or  of  how  much  you  and  your  worthy  son  deserve  of  the 
public,  for  sustaining  its  high  character,  and  conducting  it  with  so 
much  prudence,  courtesy  and  ability,  since  it  has  been  under  your 
editorial  charge. 

Sincerely  regretting  my  inability  to  be  with  you,  with  respect- 
ful regards  for  all  who  may  gather  around  your  festive  board,  and 
with  sentiments  of  great  respect  for  yourself  personally, 

I  am  truly  yours, 

R,  E,  FENTOX, 


From  MORGAN  BATES,  Lieut.  Gov.  of  Michigan,  formerly  publisher 
of  the  "Chautauqua  Republican." 

LANSING,  MICH.,  Jan,  26,  1871. 
\V.  McKiNSTRV,  ESQ.— 

My  Dear  Sir: — I  have  known  the  Censor  ever  since  it  was 
established,  and  my  personal  acquaintance  with  and  friendship  for 
Mr.  Frisbee,  date  back  to  1826,  when  I  started  the  Warren  (Pa.) 
Gazette.  In  January  1828,  I  removed  from  Warren  to  Jamestown 
and  commenced  the  Chautauqua  Republican,  the  first  Jackson  paper 
west  of  Buffalo.  This  placed  me  somewhat  in  competition  and 
rivalry  with  Mr.  Frisbee,  but  in  all  my  intercourse  with  him  I  ever 
found  him  to  be  a  true  printer  and  a  true  gentleman,  and  there  is 
no  one  for  whom  I  entertain  a  higher  regard. 

Please  tender  to  him  my  best  wishes,  and  say  to  my  old  Chau- 
tauqua friends  who  may  be  with  you  on  that  occasion,  that  I 
remember  them  all. 

Very  truly  yours, 

MORGAN  BATES. 

We  also  received  other  letters  of  regret;  among  the  writers 
were  Hon.  Porter  Sheldon,  M.  C.,  from  Jamestown ;  Dr.  D, 
J.  Pratt,  former  Principal  of  Fredonia  Academy  and  the 
Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Regents  of  the  State  University; 
Hon.  E.  Cowan,  of  Warren  (Pa.)  Mail;  W.  W.  Hender- 
son, Esq.,  Chairman  of  the  Republican  Co.  Committee; 


56  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

Hon.  I.  B.  Gara,  formerly  editor  of  the  Erie  (Pa.)  Gazette; 
C.  W.  McCluer,  of  a  prominent  business  firm  in  Chicago, 
and  in  early  life  an  apprentice  in  the  Censor  office;  David 
Gray,  the  talented  editor  of  the  Buffalo  Cornier;  Dr.  A.  R. 
Avery,  one  of  the  oldest  Physicians  of  the  County,  at 
Forestville;  Hon.  A.  D.  Scott,  State  Senator;  A.  P.  Durlin, 
of  Erie,  formerly  of  Fredonia,  an  early  newspaper  editor  in 
that  city;  Hon.  Jerome  Preston,  ex- Member  of  Assembly 
of  Chaut.  Co;  A.  B.  Fletcher,  editor  and  publisher  of  the 
Jamestown  Democrat;  and  ethers  prominent  in  the  history  of 
the  times. 

At  about  half  past  seven  o'  clock  Wednesday  evening,  the 
guests  began  to  assemble  in  Barmore  &  Ball's  Hall,  and  a 
pleasant  company  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  were  soon 
enjoy i-ng  themselves  amid  general  hand-shaking  and  social 
converse.  It  was  a  happy  reunion  of  many  of  the  old 
settlers  of  the  town  and  county,  and  the  advertising  patrons 
of  the  paper.  The  old  settlers  turned  out  brilliantly,  and 
remained  through  till  the  close  of  the  proceedings  with  a 
hilarity  indicating  that  though  bearing  the  whitened  locks 
and  wrinkled  brows  of  age,  they  were  still  young  inside,  and 
retained  all  the  warm  attachments  and  exuberant  feelings  of 
youth.  Among  those  present  whose  names  will  be  familiar 
to  our  distant  readers,  who  passed  their  earlier  days  in 
Chautauqua,  we  note  the  following:  ex  Lieut.  Gov.  Patter- 
son, Alvin  Plumb  and  Austin  Smith  of  Westfield;  Walter 
Smith  of  Dunkirk;  Harlow  Crissey  of  Stockton;  W.  W. 
Fisher  and  Dr.  A.  P.  Phillips  of  Casadaga;  L/evi  Baldwin 
and  E.  I.  Wilcox  of  Arkwright;  J.  A.  Mixer  of  Forestville; 
George  W.  Gage  ofLaona;  Jesse  E.  Baldwin  of  Sheridan; 
Dr.  H.  C.  Taylor  and  Lincoln  Fay  of  Portland.  Of  this 
town  we  had  the  pleasure  of  greeting,  besides  Mr.  Frisbee, 
in  whose  honor  the  supper  was  given,  Dr.  B.  Walworth, 
David  J.  Matteson,  Wm.  Risley,  A.  S.  Moss,  L.  B.  Grant, 
A.  F.  Taylor,  J.  B.  McClanathan,  Dr.  E.  M.  Pettit,  and 
others  descended  from  pioneers  who  sleep  amid  the  hills  and 
valleys  they  wore  themselves  out  in  clearing  and  preparing 


"CENSOR  SEMT-CEN'TENNIAX.  57 

Tor  cultivation.      Others  who   found   themselves   unable  to 
•come  sent  regrets  in  letters. 

It  was  a  singular  good  fortune  for  the  host  that  Mr.  H. 
A.  Risley  happened  at  home  and  consented  to  preside  at 
the  entertainment.  The  graceful  and  appropriate  manner 
with  which  he  conducted  the  exercises  made  the  success  of 
the  whole  a  certainty.  His  kindness  in  assisting  in  making 
the  arrangements  as  well  as  carrying  them  out,  though 
•characteristic,  was  especially  gratifying,  and  will  not  be 
forgotten. 

At  about  eight  o'clock  all  were  invited  to  take  seats  at 
the  tables, and  after  prayer  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Tagg,  about  an  hour 
•or  more  was  devoted  to  satisfying  the  appetke  for  oysters, 
cold  meats,  coffee,  cake  and  ice  cream.  The  President,  Mr. 
Risley,  then  said: 

We  are  here,  friends  -and  fellow  citizens,  not  only  to  pass 
-a  social  evening  happily  together,  but  to  mark  with  proper 
observance  the  close  of  half  a  century  since  the  first  publica- 
tion of  the  Fredonia  Censor,  and  to  pay  respect  to  its  worthy 
founder,  yet  with  us  in  the  ripeness  of  his  years,  adding 
interest  and  inspiration  to  the  hour. 

The  event  we  commemorate  carries  us  back  to  an  early 
period  in  the  history  of  the  county,  and  is  linked  with 
memories  of  old  inhabitants,  a  few  of  whom  survive,  sharing 
our  reverent  regard,  but  most  of  whom  have  been  gathered 

"Where  the  rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  sleep/' 

The  camp  fires  of  the  native  dwellers  in  the  forest  were 
still  blazing  when  this  beacon  light  of  intelligence  was 
raised,  and  it  was  properly  hailed  with  joyful  acclamation. 
It  diffused  information  and  knowledge  among  the  scattered 
settlers,  encouraged  their  hopes,  stimulated  their  efforts, 
diverted  their  toils;  and  it  is  but  just  to  say,  it  proved  a 
faithful  chronicler  of  passing  events,  a  judicious  counselor 
in  whatever  concerned  the  public  interest  and  welfare; 
and  who  can  estimate  its  effect  upon  the  settlement  of  the 
county  and  the  development  of  its  resources,  upon  the 
intelligence  of  the  people  and  the  character  of  their  institu- 
tions, upon  the  happy  and  prosperous  condition,  the  culture 
and  civilization  which  we  enjoy. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  trace  the  history  of  the  struggles 
and  conflicts  through  which  it  has  survived  most  or  all  its 
cotemporaries,  and  attained  its  position  of  character  and 


58  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

influence  at  home  and  abroad.  We  may  at  least  bear 
witness  to  the  manly  tone  and  bearing,  the  freedom  from 
defamation  and  sensational  gossip,  the  calm  temper  and  just 
censorship,  the  discriminating  praise  and  blame,  which 
have,  with  rare  exceptions,  characterized  its  columns, 
challenging  the  respect  alike  of  opponents  and  of  friends. 

And  for  you,  Mr.  Frisbee,  in  whose  honor  this  festival  is 
given,  I  should  fall  short  of  the  proper  courtesies  of  the  time 
and  place  if  I  failed  to  express  with  emphasis,  the  universal 
sentiment  of  those  with  whom  you  have  lived  for  fifty  years, 
that  you  hold  by  many  titles  their  unqualified  respect.  In 
the  even  tenor  of  a  life  not  brief  or  uneventful,  you  have 
fittingly  illustrated  a  character  of  active  enterprise,  patient 
industry,  prudent  forecast,  and  sterling  integrity.  You  have 
been  known  and  acknowledged  always,  and  are  now,  when 
all  rivalries  and  animosities  are  forgotten,  more  than  ever 
esteemed,  a  plain  hearted,  straight  forward,  earnest,  honest 
man,  without  disguise,  evasion  or  artifice;  and  whatever 
may  be  the  brightness  that  illumines  the  pathway  of  the 
great,  there  is,  and  can  be,  no  better  radiance  than  that 
which  shines  around  a  character  like  yours. 

In  behalf,  then,  of  the  gentlemen  now  filling  with  credit 
and  ability  the  place  so  long  and  honorably  occupied  by 
you;  in  behalf  of  the  generations  represented  here  who  have 
profited  by  your  example  and  been  instructed  by  your 
wisdom,  I  tender  you  this  tribute  of  respect,  cordially  wish- 
ing for  you  many  tranquil  years,  and  a  happy  close  of  your 
useful,  successful  and  honorable  career. 

And  I  propose  for  your  approval,  fellow  citizens,  this 
sentiment: 

Continued  and  deserved  prosperity  to  the  Fredonia 
Censor.  I/ong  life  and  happiness  to  its  honored  founder, 
HENRY  C.  FRISBEE. 

After  "Hail  to  the  Chief"  had  been  given  by  the  Band, 
Mr.  Frisbee  arose,  greeted  by  a  storm  of  applause,  and 
responded  as  follows: 

MR.  FRISBEE'S  SPEECH. 

Mr.  President,  Gentlemen  of  the  Press,  and  Patrons  of 
the  Censor:  Since  the  founder  of  the  Fredonia  Censor  has 
survived  the  very  flattering  encomiums  bestowed  upon  him, 
you  may  expect  something  by  way  of  response.  But  what 
can  I  say  ?  Truly  you  will  not  expect  a  speech  from  one 
who  is  now  verging  upon  the  three  score  years  and  ten,  and 
never  made  a  speech  in  his  life,  and  if  there  is  any  one  thing 


CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  59 

he  has  been  desirous  of  escaping,  it  is  a  crisis  of  this  kind; 
for  I  know  I  stand  before  an  intelligent  audience,  including 
many  gentlemen  of  the  Press,  and  that  they  are  often 
disposed  to  exercise  their  vocation  as  remorseless  critics.  I 
am  aware  the  "chiel  is  amang  us  taking  notes,  and  faith 
he'll  print  "em."  Why  !  as  brave  a  man  as  Gen.  Grant 
said  he  would  rather  fight  half  a  dozen  battles  than  make 
one  speech,  and  I  am  much  of  his  opinion;  albeit  I  should 
want  mine  of  that  bloodless  kind  waged  by  you  editors. 

But,  Mr.  President,  when  my  mind  wanders  back  over 
these  fifty  years,  it  instinctively  calls  up  the  names  of  those 
then  the  pillars  of  the  press  in  this  state:  Wm.  L.  Stone, 
M.  M.  Noah,  Mackey  Croswell,  Jesse  Buel,  Solomon  South- 
wick,  Wm.  Williams,  James  Bogert,  James  D.  Bemis,  one 
of  the  best  of  men,  Everard  Peck,  a  man  in  whom  was  no 
guile,  Thurlow  Weed,  David  C.  Miller,  Oran  Follet,  the 
Salisbury s  and  David  M.  Day,  and  others  that  could  be 
named.  Where  are  they  ?  '  'Echo  answers,  where  ?' '  to  all 
except  that  one  Nestor  of  the  Press,  Thurlow  Weed,  now 
pleasantly  retired  from  the  exacting  labors  of  editing  a  daily 
paper,  but  from  whose  pungent  pen  we  hope  ere  lo'ng  to 
have  the  auto-biography  of  his  active  life. 

But,  Mr.  President,  my  advent  to  this  village  dates  four 
years  back  of  the  fifty,  when  its  name  had  just  been  changed 
from  Canadaway  to  Fredonia,  and  it  was  the  day  of  small 
things  for  newspapers.  The  Chautauqua  Gazette,  the  first 
in  the  county,  had  been  started  after  much  difficult}-  only  a 
short  time  before.  My  father  having  died  a  few  months 
after  settling  here,  the  family  broke  up  and  returned  east, 
with  the  exception  of  myself,  who  was  left  without  kith  or 
kin,  comparatively  a  stranger  among  strangers,  with  only 
the  clothes  I  stood  in,  and  the  stern  fact  staring  me  in  the 
face  that  I  had  nothing  but  my  own  tact  and  energy  to 
depend  upon.  Having  previously  had  a  little  experience  in 
type  setting,  I  readily  obtained  employment  in  Mr.  Hull's 
printing  office,  and  soon  after  made  an  engagement  to  work 
for  him  three  years  for  a  yearly  sum  that  would  a  trifle 
more  than  board  and  clothe  me;  though  by  no  means  with 
such  clothes  as  are  thought  to  be  indispensable  now-a-days. 
Well,  after  remaining  with  him  about  two  years,  as  it  had 
been  from  my  boyhood  a  cherished  desire  to  have  a  printing 
office  of  my  own  and  be  an  editor,  this  desire  began  to 
increase  and  intensify.  But  a  difficulty  arose  to  my  mind  at 
this  time.  A  book  had  many  years  before  been  put  out  by 
one  Lindley  Murray,  which  treated  on  such  things  as  that 


"A  verb  must  agree  with  its^  nominative  case,  in  number 
and  person,"  ' 'Prepositions  govern  the  objective  case,"  etc.. 
etc. ,  and  I  got  the  idea,  as  I  was  an  entire  stranger  to  the 
contents  of  this  book,  that  any  one  aspiring  to  be  an  editor 
should  have  some  acquaintance  therewith;,  therefore  I. 
induced  my  boss  to  take  an  apprentice,,  and  let  me  attend- 
school  about  six  months,  working  out  of  school  hours  to* 
pay  my  board,  during  which  time  I  became  quite  intimate 
with  Mr.  Murray,  and  rather  liked  him,,  albeit  I  thought  him. 
awful  dry  to  begin  with. 

But  -now  another  difficulty  came  up,,  caused  by  my  own 
act,  that  I  had  not  looked  forward  to,,  and  w^hich,  shows  how 
unsuspectingly  one's  whole  career  in  life  may  be  shaped. 
My  education  finished,  I  had  intended  to  save  up  all  I  could 
of  my  wages  for  the  remaining  six.  months  of  my  engage- 
ment, to  enable  me  to  find  some  place  in  the  West  where  I 
could  put  Lindley  Murray  in  practice  editorially.  But  as 
the  apprentice,  whose  compensation  was.  less  than  half  of 
mine,  had  become  sufficiently  versed  in  the  business  to> 
enable  my  boss  to  publish  a  small  eight  column  paper,  half 
advertisements,  and  a  job  only  about  once  a  month,  he 
thought  it  would  be  a  favorable  opportunity  to  dispense  with 
my  services,  and  he  so  informed  me.  I  told  him  it  would 
be  unfair  to  turn  me  off  under  such  circumstances,  but  he 
concluded  to  consult  what  he  thought  was  his  own  interest, 
and  it  was  decided  that  I  must  leave.  I  then  told  him  if  he 
took  that  course,  I  should  endeavor  to  establish  a  paper  in 
opposition  to  him.  This  he  deemed  the  height  of  presump- 
tion, for  one  in  n\y  condition,  and  he  told  me  I  might  if  I 
could.  This  put  me  on  my  mettle,  and  I  determined  to  try 
it. 

I  went  a  little  out  of  the  village,  and  obtained  board  at  a 
low  price,  of  that  good  man,  Elder  Handy — worked  around 
as  I  could  get  a  chance — remember  working  several  days  at 
haying  and  harvesting  for  Judge  Gushing,  whose  son,  the 
President  of  our  village,  is  with  us  this  evening,  and  from 
whom  we  hope  to  hear  scmething  to  add  to  our  enjoyment. 
Politics  were  running  high  then,  as  Bucktails  and 
Clintonians,  and  as  newspapers  of  the  former  stamp  were 
scarce  in  the  western  part  of  the  State,  and  none  in  this 
County  to  aid  them,  I  commenced  a  correspondence  with 
some  of  the  leading  politicians  at  the  east,  especially  with  the 
Hon.  Richard  Riker,  then  Recorder  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  (whose  very  name,  I  presume,  would  be  familiar  to 
few  here  except  Gov.  Patterson)  and  finally  got  the  promise 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  6 1 

of  some  help  if  I  would  start  what  was  then  called  a  Re- 
publican paper.  It  was  also  the  case  then,  as  now,  that 
some  men  wanted  to  go  to  Congress,  and  were  anxious  to 
have  the  thing  done.  I  learned  there  was  at  Buffalo  the 
remains  of  a  printing  establishment  taken  for  a  debt  in  Ohio, 
that  the  owner  would  be  glad  to  dispose  of.  I  hired  a  span 
of  horses  and  wagon,  and  braving  the  then  horribly  "four 
mile  woods' '  beyond  Cattaraugus  Creek,  reached  Buffalo, 
made  a  bargain  with  Smith  H.  Salisbury,  the  owner  of  the 
apology  for  printing  materials  aforesaid,  (one  press  now  in 
the  Censor  office  would  weigh  down  four  loads  just  like  that 
whole  concern,  including  press,  types,  cases  and  all;)  obtained 
the  lease  of  it  for  three  years,  with  the  privilege  of  then 
buying  it  for  $300.  Maj.  John  G.  Camp  of  Buffalo,  who 
was  one  of  the  aspirants  for  Congress,  went  my  security  on 
the  lease,  which  instrument,  drawn  up  with  all  the  old 
fashioned  formality,  I  have  yet.  The  materials  were  loaded 
up,  and  o'n  Town  Meeting  day  in  March,  1821,  I  came 
trotting  into  Fredonia  with  them,  feeling  as  important 
undoubtedly  as  a  Vanderbilt  in  a  palace  car;  and  just  fifty 
years  ago  to-day,  (a  few  days  before  I  was  twenty  years  of 
age, )  the  Fredonia  Censor  was  launched  upon  the  world. 
It  was  at  first  called  New  York  Censor,  being  so  near 
Pennsylvania,  and  that  State  then  supposed  to  be  made  up 
mostly  of  thick-headed  Dutchmen,  I  wanted  to  avoid  being 
thought  located  over  the  line.  I  hope  my  friend  of  the 
Erie  Gazette,  now  present  with  us,  will  excuse  any  reflec- 
tions, for  Pennsylvania  had  not  then  "struck  ile." 

But,  gentlemen  of  the  Press,  you  little  know  the  rigid 
economy  it  then  required,  not  only  to  start  a  newspaper,  but 
to  keep  it  agoing.  To  make  my  board  come  at  a  dollar  a 
week,  I  bought  a  second  hand  coverlid  and  straw  bed  and 
lodged  before  the  office  fire,  tucking  them  away  in  a  little 
closet  in  the  day  time.  I  had  about  fifty  subscribers,  ten  or 
a  dozen  of  them  paying  in  advance,  but  that  was  considered 
as  a  donation  (for  to  pay  in  advance  for  a  newspaper  at  that 
day  was  deemed  the  height  of  imprudence, )  but  for  the  first 
three  weeks,  not  a  paying  advertisement.  To  add  to  the 
unpleasantness  of  the  situation,  my  old  boss  in  the  spirit  of 
the  '  'Turban' d  Turk  that  can  bear  no  rival  near  the  throne, ' ' 
had  given  out  (at  the  instigation  of  his  wife,  who  was  the 
more  vigorous  of  the  two)  that  should  I  get  out  of  paper  or 
ink,  and  want  to  borrow,  "he  would  not  lend  me  a  bit." 
But  to  show  what  the  whirligig  of  time  brings  about,  and 
the  truth  of  the  saying^  "let  him  that  standeth,  take  heed 
lest  he  fall."  in  just  one  year  from  that  time  he  came  to  me 
to  borrow  paper  on  which  to  print  his  last  issue. 


6l  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

Well,  before  the  first  year  closed  the  prospects  began  to1 
brighten.  Paying  advertisements,  the  very  life  blood  of 
country  papers,  made  their  appearance,  subscribers  and 
friends  increased,  the  promised  aid  from  New  York,  about. 
$150,  paid  the  first  installment  on  the  lease,  bought  a  little 
stock  and  a  few  indispensable  materials  for  the  office,  and  at. 
the  expiration  of  the  lease  I  was  enabled  to  buy  in  the 
establishment,  and  from  that  time  it  became  not  only  self- 
sustaining,  bnt  as  profitable  as  a  country  paper  could  expect. 
to  be.  One  number,,  only  a  month  or  two  before  I  sold,, 
contained  five  close  columns  of  legal  advertisements,  mostly 
mortgage  and  sheriff  sales,  and  as  many  columns  of 
merchants'  and  miscellaneous  advertisements,,  but  not  in. 
such  big  types  and  blank  spaces  as  is  common  now-a-days. 

Single  handed,  as  a  printer  and  editor,.  I  labored  on  it  for 
17  years,  in  Bucktail.  and  Clintonian  times,  during  anti- 
Masonic  excitements,  People's  parties,  Hard  shell  and  Barn 
burner  democracy,  hard  cider  and  Abolitionism.  But  finding 
this  ceaseless  application  and  close  confinement  wearing, 
upon  my  health,  and  having  an  offer  to  sell  at  my  own 
price,  I  em-braced  it.  My  immediate  successors  were  Mr.  E. 
Winchester,  who  had  formerly  been  an  apprentice  in  this 
office,  and  his  brother  Jonas  Winchester,,  of  New  York.  Mr. 
E.  Winchester  conducted  it  successfully  some  three  years,, 
when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  Mr.  Cunnington,  a 
somewhat  inefficient  man,  and  the  concern  was  getting  in  a 
rather  bad  way,  when  the  present  senior  editor,  then  a 
young,  true  New  Englander  of  the  old  Plymouth  stock,  made 
his  advent  among  us,  purchased  the  establishment  and  set 
it  again  upon  its  successful  career,  and  proved  himself  to  be 
the  right  man  in  the  right  place,  by  keeping  it  there, 
increasing  its  size  and  influence,  'until  it  has  attained  its 
fiftieth  anniversary,  which  we  are  so  agreeably  gathered  this 
evening  to  celebrate.  Truly  is  the  present  senior  editor 
entitled  to  the  patriarchal  mantle  of  the  Chautauqua  press. 

But  this  is  not  all  he  has  done.  Exercising  a  wise  fore- 
thought for  its  future  permanency,  he  early  took  one  of  the 
fair  daughters  of  Fredonia,  a  partner  for  life,  and  has  raised 
up  a  Censor  junior  who  bids  fair  to  give  credit  to  the  calling. 
And,  by  the  way,  I  like  to  see  firms  composed  of  father  and 
son.  It  looks  like  good  training,  good  order  and  durability. 
And  the  junior  himself  has  made  it  manifest  that  he  is  not 
unmindful  of  the  duty  of  preparing  for  the  future,  and 
certainly  that  he  has  a  wonderful  attachment  for  the  very 
name  of  his  native  village,  for  after  having  roamed  over  half 


•CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  63 

the  United  States,  he  has  returned  to  Fredonia,  joined 
himself  to  the  Fredonia  Censor,  and  taken  a  partner  for  life 
named  Fredonia  (Houghton, )  and  is  already  blessed  in  the 
line  of  succession,  and  although  of  the  female  order,  he  has 
no  reason  to  be  discouraged,  as  I  believe  that  long  before 
the  occasion  will  call  for  it,  she  can  claim  a  seat  in  the 
•editorial  sanctum  under  the  aegis  of  woman's  rights. 

And  all  those  fifty  years  not  one  number  of  the  Censor,  on 
a  full  sheet,  has  failed  to  make  its  appearance,  notwith- 
standing it  has  been  twice  burned  out,  once  during  my 
administration,  and  again  during  that  of  my  present  worthy 
.successor. 

But  what  a  wonderful  change  has  come  over  the  scene 
since  the  advent  of  the  Censor's  first  appearance,  in  the 
manner  of  obtaining  intelligence,  that  most  eagerly  sought 
means  of  making  a  paper  interesting.  Then  with  only  a 
horse-back  mail  once  a  week,  to  while  away  the  tedious 
time  awaiting  its  arrival,  the  frequent  resort  was  the  '  'public 
inn,"  (the  Postoifice  was  then  kept  there  by  M.  W.  Abell,) 

"Where  village  statesmen  talked  with  looks  profound-, 
And  news,  much  older  than  their  ale,  went  round." 

Now  I  can  go  to  the  postoffice  and  receive  my  evening 
Buffalo  Commercial,  and  at  my  own  fireside,  between  the 
hours  of  seven  and  eight,  read  the  news  under  dates  of  one 
and  two  o'clock  of  the  same  afternoon  from  London,  Berlin, 
Paris,  (poor  France,  how  are  the  mighty  fallen,  truly  pride 
goes  before  a  fall,)  and  St.  Petersburg.  Genius  and 
enterprise  have  outstripped  human  belief. 

And  what  paper  in  the  land  has  acquired  a  higher 
reputation  than  \.\\&New  Yoik  Tribune,  with  that  Boanerges 
of  the  press,  HORACE  GREELEY,  for  its  founder,  who,  I 
well  remember,  when  he  was  a  stripling  boy  of  not  very 
prepossessing  appearance,  but  wrhose  independent  air  showed 
he  knew  what  he  was  about,  called  on  me,  some  thirty-four 
years  ago,  and  ate  and  slept  under  my  roof.  Without  a 
classic  education  or  the  tongue  of  eloquence,  what,  except  a 
large  share  of  good  sense,  and  the  '  'clear  grit, ' '  so  forcibly 
described  by  Rev.  Robert  Collyer,  at  our  Normal  School 
Hall,  the  other  evening,  backed  by  indomitable  perseverance 
and  Herculean  labor — never,  Micawber  like,  "waiting  for 
something  to  turn  up, ' '  but  always  turning  up  something, 
has  gained  him  the  most  enviable  position  in  the  editorial 
corps — has  enabled  him  to  say  that  he  would  rather  be 
remembered  as  the  founder  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  than 


64  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

as  having  been  President  of  the  United  States;  and  has 
given  his  name  to  an  embryo  city  of  our  great  western 
plains,  that,  for  aught  any  one  knows,  may  become  as 
renowned  and  enduring  as  Damascus  of  Syria.  May  his 
life  be  spared  to  foster  and  witness  what  seems  to  be  the 
dear  object  of  his  heart,  a  World  Exhibition,  in  our  com- 
mercial emporium,  to  celebrate  the  centennial  anniversary 
of  our  nation's  birth. 

I  would  like,  Mr.  President,  to  allude  to  a  few  of  my 
cotemporaries  in  the  earlier  years  of  the  Censor.  There  was 
Adolphus  Fletcher,  of  the  Jamestown  Journal,  deacon 
Fletcher,  we  used  to  call  him  from  his  uniformly  sedate 
demeanor;  not  much  s"nap  in  his  editorials,  but  always 
disposed  to  avoid  everything  that  would  injure  the  feelings 
of  others.  Were  all  ihe  fraternity  governed  by  the  same 
characteristic  there  would  be  no  Etonswill  Gazette  so 
graphically  described  by  genial  Pickwick,  either  in  this 
country  or  any  other.  There  was  Harve)r  W.  Newcomb,  of 
Westfield,  most  noted  for  his  zeal  in  the  anti-Masonic  cause 
during  that  exciting  period,  but  afterwards  was  engaged  in 
the  more  useful  labors  of  writing  Sunday  School  books. 
Wm.  L,.  Carpenter,  of  Dunkirk,  was  held  in  esteem  by  all 
acquainted  with  him.  James  Hull,  notwithstanding  the 
difference  between  us  that  I  have  alluded  to,  and  which 
undoubtedly  turned  out  for  the  best,  I  always  regarded  as  a 
good  hearted  and  well  disposed  man,  but  not  calculated  to 
give  interest  or  success  to  journalism.  These  have  all  passed 
away. 

•  There  was  Morgan  Bates  of  Jamestown,  a  wide  awake 
editor,  who,  after  trying  California  life  awhile,  returned  and 
settled  down  in  Michigan,  where  he  has  recently  been 
elected  L,ieut.  Governor.  Frank  W.  Palmer,  one  of  the 
most  esteemed  and  talented  editors  of  the,  Chautauqua  Press, 
has  just  been  elected  to  a  second  term  in  Congress,  from 
Iowa. 

I  would  also,  Mr.  President,  like  to  recall  to  mind  some 
of  my  earliest  friends  and  patrons  among  whom  I  have  ever 
ranked  the  Hon.  E.  T.  Foote,  who  sent  me  the  first  and 
largest  list  of  subscribers,  and  was  truly  '  'a  friend  in  need' ' ; 
of  your  own  honored  father,  of  whom  I  always  felt  it  safe  to  ask 
political  advice;  of  your  own  good  hearted  father-in-law, 
Dr.  Orris  Crosby,  with  whom  I  have  enjoyed  many  a 
pleasant  hour,  as  a  boarder  in  his  family,  during  a  period  of 
single  blessedness.  And  when  I  think,  Mr.  President,  that 
many  a  time  when  your  lamented  wife  (peace  to  her  remains) 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  65 

was  a  little  prattling  girl,  I  have  dandled  her  on  my  knee, 
and  that  two  of  her  daughters  have  arrived  to  womanhood, 
and  are  now  in  distant  India  doing  a  voyage  round  the 
world  in  company  with  Chautauqua  County's  much  esteemed 
Statesman,  Hon.  \Vm.  H.  Seward,  it  forcibly  reminds  me 
that  I  am  truly  in  the  sear  and  yellow  leaf. 

*      '  *         *         #         :;•-         *         *         * 

And  now,  kind  friends,  thanking  you  for  the  flattering 
•evidence  you  have  given  me,  that  you  have  not  been  wearied 
with  my  incoherent  remarks,  which  has  certainly  brought 
great  relief  to  my  mind,  and  asking  your  forgiveness  for  the 
egotism  therein,  which  my  successor  having  been  so  personal 
in  his  note  of  invitation  I  could  not  well  avoid,  I  will  make 
way  for  the  first  and  only  historian  of  Chautauqua  County, 
Hon.  E.  F.  Warren,  hoping  he  may  live  to  give  us  a  more 
enlarged  edition. 

Responding  to  this  call,  Mr.  Warren  said: 

HON.  E.  F.  WARREN'S  REMARKS. 

MR.  PRESIDENT  AND  GENTLEMEN — I  have  prepared  no 
set  speech  for  this  occasion  and  shall  not 'attempt  to  make 
one.  I  propose  to  say  a  few  things  of  the  olden  times  and 
the  actors  in  them,  and  nothing  more. 

About  a  week  ago,  I  asked  the  gentleman  in  whose  honor 
we  are  assembled,  to  lend  me  the  oldest  volume  of  the 
Censor  he  had.  He  informed  me  that  the  first  and  second 
volumes  had  been  destroyed  by  a  fire  which  consumed  the 
Censor  office  several  years  since.  He  brought  me  the 
venerable  ,  volume  which  is  before  me.  Although  unpre- 
tending and  comparatively  diminutive  in  size,  it  is  full  of 
interest  to  one  whose  recollection  of  events  reaches  beyond 
its  date,  and  I  can  assure  you  that  its  perusal  has  afforded 
me  the  most  unalloyed  satisfaction.  It  was  then  the  "New 
York  Censor." 

On  the  first  page,  and  in  every  number  of  the  paper,'  for 
the  entire  year,  the  name  of  Col.  Walter  Smith,  who  now 
sits  before  me,  and  who  honors  us  by  his  presence,  appears 
in  its  advertising  columns.  He  was  then  a  merchant,  young, 
intelligent,  enterprising  and  active,  and  evidently  knew  and 
appreciated  the  advantages  of  advertising.  In  my  bdyhood, 
and  I  can  remember  him  since  1819,  I  thought  him  a  model 
man.  I  have  known  him  ever  since,  and  have  never 
changed  that  opinion.  In  aiding  to  develop  this  then 
wilderness,  in  opening  roads,  in  affording  assistance  to  those 
who  were  struggling  for  a  foothold  and  carving  out  new 


66  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

homes  in  the  forest,  in  furnishing  them  the  means  of 
subsistence  and  taking  the  scanty  returns  they  could  make, 
in  grain,  black  salts  and  ashes;  and  in  his  generous  contri- 
butions to  every  enterprise  calculated  to  develop  and  improve 
the  country,  he  had  no  equal.  He  was  instant  in  season  in 
every  good  work. 

Among  the  other  names  found  in  this  old  record  of  the 
past,  are  Todd  &  Douglass,  M.  D.  &  I.  Harmon,  McCluer 
&  Holbrook,  as  merchants;  Asa  Pierce  was  among  them 
and  afterwards  Postmaster  and  merchant  at  Kensington, 
now  in  the  town  of  Sheridan.  Mosely  W.  Abell  was  Post- 
master here.  Houghton  &  Osborne  advertised  as  partners 
in  the  practice  of  the  law,  having  an  office  here  and  another 
at  Mayville.  The  last  named  gentleman  is  still  living,  in 
the  enjoyment  of  a  competency,  the  result  of  a  laborious 
professional  life,  and  of  the  confidence*  and  esteem  of  his 
fellow  citizens.  Daniel  G.  Garnsey  also  offered  his  pro- 
fessional services  through  the  columns  of  the  Censor.  He 
was  Surrogate  and  District  Attorney,  and  twice  represented 
this  district  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  when  it 
comprised  the  counties  of  Erie,  Niagara  and  Chautauqua. 
The  foundation  of  the  well-known,  successful  and  long 
continued  firm  of  Mullett  &  Crane  was  announced  in  these 
columns,  on  the  loth  day  of  December,  1823. 

Wm.  A.  Hart,  Martin  Damon,  Wm.  Norcott,  and  Shepard 
&  Buck  advertised  their  mechanical  pursuits,  and  were 
located  in  the  "Cascade  Hamlet."  How  many  are  there  in 
this  audience  who  know  where  or  what  the  Cascade  Hamlet 
was  ?  For  the  information  of  those  who  never  heard  of  it,  I 
will  say,  it  was  a  long  building,  extending  from  about  the 
west  end  •  of  the  bridge  at  the  foot  of  Main  street,  to  near 
the  bank  at  the  intersection  of  Hamlet  street,  filled  with 
machinery,  propelled  by  the  waters  of  the  Canadaway. 
How  many  stories  high  it  was  I  cannot  tell,  but  to  me  it 
was  a  most  imposing  structure  and  one  of  the  wonders  of  the 
world.  Gillis  &  Huesten  advertised  as  tailors,  Norton  & 
Howard  as  wool  carders  and  cloth  dressers  here,  and  Bull 
and  Ford  at  L,aona.  A.  Fink  advertised  himself  as  the 
manufacturer  of  cast  steel  axes,  at  Dunkirk,  Geo.  A.  French 
his  merchandise  at  Gerry,  now  Sinclearville,  and  Budlong 
&  Babcock  as  merchants,  and  Fenn  Deming  as  druggist  at 
Cross  Roads,  now  Westfield. 

The  asperities  of  political  strife  were  not  then  unknown. 
This  volume  records  the  election  of  James  Mullett  Jr.  to  the 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL,.  67 

Assembly,  as  the    candidate  of  the  Bucktail  party,  in    1823 
and  1824. 

******** 

Mr.  W.  then  read  an  announcement  of  a  military  election, 
at  which  Leverett  Barker  was  chosen  Colonel,  Thomas  G. 
Abell,  Lieut.  Colonel,  and  Walter  Smith,  Major,  and 
subsequently  of  the  appointment  of  Brigadier  General  Elijah 
Risley  Jr.  to  be  "Major  General  of  the  25th  Division,  com- 
prising the  counties  of  Chautauqua,  Steuben  and  Allegany . ' ' 

Mr.  W.  continued: 

To  give  you  some  idea  of  the  progress  of  events,  and  the 
improvements  in  travel  and  transportation  between  those 
times  and  the  present,  I  read  two  extracts  from  these 
columns,  which  appeared  at  short  intervals,  and  which  give 
us  a  glimpse  of  the  past,  which  we  cannot  fail  to  appreciate  in 
the  light  of  the  present.  The  first  is  an  extract  from  the 
New  York  Spectator,  and  the  other  original  in  this  paper. 

"  Westetn  Canal. — The  reader  is  referred  to  an  advertise- 
ment in  this  paper,  announcing  the  departure  of  the  canal 
boats  from  Utica  and  Rochester.  A  gentleman  now  at  the 
west,  in  speaking  of  the  inprovements  in  that  part  of  the 
State,  says,  'the  canal  boats  are  more  convenient  than  they 
were  last  year,  and  the  new  boats  are  superior  to  anything 
I  expected  to  find.  The  distance  from  Utica  to  Rochester 
is  performed  in  two  days.  The  captains  are  obliging,  and 
the  table  supplied  with  the  best  the  country  affords.  The 
stages  on  this  western  route  are  not  surpassed  by  any  in  the 
Union,  and  many  persons  in  the  south  and  east  are  enjoying 
the  advantages  this  western  country  affords.  There  has 
be^n  more  traveling  by  the  public  stages  this  season  than  at 
any  former  period.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  see  a  dozen 
stages  on  the  road  between  Albany  and  Utica,  full  of 
passengers,  either  going  or  returning  from  "the  West.'  ' 

'  'Rapid  Improvement. — The  line  of  stages  now  established 
between  Buffalo  and  Erie,  Pa.,  has  commenced  running 
three  times  a  week,  and  arrangements  will  soon  be  made  to 
have  the  mail  also  carried  three  times  instead  of  twice  a 
week. 

"It  is  astonishing  to  witness  the  rapid  improvements  that 
have  been  made  along  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie  within  a  few 
years.  But  two  years  ago,  there  was  no  such  thing  as  a 
stage  between  Buffalo  and  Erie,  and  the  mail  was  carried 
but  once  a  week  on  horseback.  Within  this  period,  the 
county  of  Chautauqua  in  particular,  has  received  a  large 
and  valuable  accession  of  inhabitants  of  wealth  and  industry, 
and  the  very  superior  fertility  of  its  soil,  its  general  healthi- 


68  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES, 

ness  and  its  proximity  to  the  Grand  Canal,  are  solid  presages 
of  its  future  wealth  and  prosperity." 

In  this  connection  the  following  notice  extracted  from  the 
Buffalo  Journal,  shows  the  timidity  with  which  its  editor 
announces  the  arrival  in  that  village  of  an  unusual  number 
of  persons  in  one  day,  and  to  parry  the  imputation  that  he 
might  have  taken  lessons  from  Gulliver,  he  is  careful  to  say 
that  some  of  them  "were  visitors  to  the  Falls." 

"On  Thursday  last  there  arrived  in  this  village,  seventy 
persons,  by  stage,  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  and  evening. 
Many  of  these  were  emigrants  for  the  west;  others  were 
visitors  to  the  falls,  etc.  The  crowd  cf  strangers  is  at  this 
time  much  greater  in  our  village  than  has  been  usual  at  so 
early  a  period  of  the  season. ' ' 

And  now,  Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen,  I  bring  these 
rambling  sketches  to  a  close. 

I  have  attempted  in  this  desultory  manner,  to  present  a 
few  only  of  the  many  gems  which  the  volume  contains,  and 
having  occupied  so  much  of  your  time  and  anticipating  to 
-some  extent  the  rich  things  that  are  in  store  for  you  this 
evening,  I  resume  my  seat  after  thanking  you  for  the  cordial 
greeting  which  you  gave  me,  and  the  interested  although 
not  always  silent  attention  with  which  you  have  listened  to 
my  recitals. 

Mr.  Risley  then  read  the  following  sentiment: 

Chautauqua  County — with  its  fertile  lands,  its  beautiful 
and  thriving  villages,  its  prosperous,  intelligent  and  patriotic 
inhabitants. 

And  said,  fortunately  we  have  with  us  this  evening,  a 
gentleman  eminent  for  his  virtues  and  public  services,  who 
has  filled  many  and  high  places  of  public  trust,  and  always 
adorned  them,  who  has  long  been  identified  with  the  interests 
and  the  people  of  our  county,  and  may  properly  be  called 
on  to  respond  to  this  sentiment.  You  know  that  I  refer  to 
the  Hon.  George  W.  Patterson. 

The  Band  played  "Long,  long  ago,"  and  the  gentleman 
called  on  arose  amid  cheers. 

GOV.  PATTERSON'S  SPEECH. 

Mr.  Patterson  said  that  he  first  saw  Chautauqua  County 
in  the  spring  of  1821,  soon  after  the  gentleman  in  whose 
honor  this  bountiful  entertainment  is  given  commenced  the 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  69 

publication  of  the  Censor.  The  county  had  been  organized 
but  ten  years,  and  a  large  portion  of  its  territory  was  a  dense 
forest.  Settlements  were  made  upon  the  Erie  road  and  upon 
the  shores  of  Chautauqua  Lake,  with  a  few  pioneer  settlers 
in  other  parts  of  the  county.  The  county  was  organized  in 
1811  with  but  two  towns,  Pomfret  and  Chautauqua.  Hon. 
Philo  Orton  was  Supervisor  of  the  former,  and  Matthew 
Prendergast  of  the  latter.  At  an  election  held  three  years 
after  the  county  was  organized  the  whole  number  of  votes 
cast  was  but  about  550.  A  large  portion  of  the  farmers 
were  living  in  log  houses,  while  the  few  villages  were 
supplied  with  the  cheapest  kind  of  frame  buildings.  The 
village  of  Fredonia  had  but  about  two  hundred  inhabitants, 
while  the  village  where  he,  Mr.  P.  now  resides  (Westfield) 
was  known  only  as  the  "X  Roads." 

What  wonderful  improvements  have  been  made  wnthin 
these  fifty  years  !  In  1821,  there  was  not  a  post  coach  in 
the  United  States  west  of  Buffalo,  and  the  mail  was  carried 
through  this  village  but  once  a  week,  on  horse-back  or  on 
foot.  The  great  mail  from  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Balti- 
more and  Washington,  for  Columbus,  Cincinnati,  Louisville 
and  St.  Louis,  was  lashed  upon  the  back  of  a  horse,  while 
the  driver  rode  another,  on  which  he  carried  the  mail  for  the 
small  offices. 

In  1822,  Col.  Nathan  Bird  of  "X  Roads,"  put  on  a  two- 
horse  wagon,  covered  with  tow  cloth,  and  carried  the  mail 
from  Buffalo  to  Erie  in  two  days,  his  son  Ira  being  the 
driver,  while  now  the  two  sides  of  the  continent  are  bound 
together  with  bands  of  iron,  and  passengers  are  carried  from 
New  York  to  San  Francisco  in  a  week,  and  we  can  now 
read  in  our  morning  papers  the  occurrences  in  all  parts  of 
Europe  of  the  preceding  day,  and  instead  of  one  mail  a  week, 
we  get  three  a  day  and  want  more. 

When  first  passing  through  this  county,  the  greatest 
curiosity  to  be  seen  was  a  famous  blackwalnut  tree  that  stood 
near  Walnut  Creek,  within  the  bounds  of  the  present  village 
of  Silver  Creek.  It  was  nine  feet  in  diameter,  and  ran  up 
sixty  feet  to  the  first  limbs.  It  was  blown  down  in  the 
Spring  of  1822,  when  about  14  feet  was  cut  from  the  but, 
dug  out  leaving  the  shell  about  three  inches  thick,  an  opening 
made  for  a  door  and  window,  the  inside  furnished  with  a 
circular  table,  shelves,  &c,  and  a  grocery  was  kept  in  it, 
with  "Cake  and  Beer  for  Sale."  When  the  Erie  canal  was 
finished  in  1825,  this  grocery  store  was  taken  to  Buffalo, 
put  on  board  the  first  canal  boat  that  ever  ran  the  whole 
length  of  the  canal,  and  down  to  New  York,  set  up  on  the 


JO  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 

Bowery  as  a  grocery,  where  it  remained  a  few  years  and  was 
then  sent  to  London  and  put  in  the  British  Museum,  as  the 
"great  American  curiosity.." 

On  my  return  to  this  county  in  1822,  I  found  the  Censor 
still  alive,  and  under  full  blast,  and  while  our  friend  Frisbee 
was  spreading  the  news  of  the  day  all  abroad  over  the 
county,  I  was  trying  to  "raise  the  wind"  among  the  farmers 
by  furnishing  them  with  fanning-mills;  and  having  located 
at  Ripley,  I  became  a  constant  reader  of  the  Cemor  for  three 
years,  by  which  I  was  made  a  wiser,  if  not  a  better  man. 
From  the  tact  and  ability  exhibited  by  the  editor  at  that 
early  day,  I  supposed  that  he  must  have  been  at  least  forty 
years  old,  but  it  seems  that  I  was  entirely  mistaken,  for  here 
he  now  is  with  scarcely  a  white  hair  on  his  head,  while  I 
am  "as  gray  as  a  rat.,' 

When  I  first  saw  Chautauqua,  its  now  fertile  fields  were 
mostly  covered  with  the  natural  forest,  the  settlers  were 
generally  poor,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  they  could 
raise  money  enough  to  pay  their  taxes  and  the  interest  on 
their  land  contracts;  (very  few  had  deeds.)  Almost  the 
entire  population  were  in  debt  for  their  land,  and  as  late  as 
1841,  when  I  took  charge  of  the  land  office,  there  was  a 
debt  due  the  Trust  Company  of  about  a  million  and  a  quarter 
of  dollars,  and  about  ninety  thousand  acres  of  unsold  land, 
which  is  now  all  disposed  of  but  about  one  thousand  acres, 
and  there  are  more  than  twenty  men  within  the  hearing  of 
my  voice  who  could  pay  the  entire  outstanding  debt  and 
not  feel  it  at  the  end  of  the  year.  A  large  portion  of  the 
fertile  lands  of  the  county  are  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, and  we  have  now  more  than  forty  thousand  dairy  cows, 
and  the  amount  received  for  butter  and  cheese  will  not  vary 
far  from  two  millions  annually,  while  the  other  products  of 
the  soil  will  far  exceed  that  amount. 

Villages  are  dotted  all  over  the  county,  and  the  log  school 
houses  with  their  stick  chimneys  have  given  way  to 
comfortable  frame  buildings,  and  they  in  turn  are  yielding 
to  magnificent  structures  such  as  the  one  in  this  beautiful 
village,  built  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and 
placed  by  the  State  under  the  management  of  the  gentleman 
at  my  left,  (Dr.  Armstrong)  under  whose  care  it  is  flourish- 
ing beyond  the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  its  friends. 

No  county  in  this  State  has  a  population  of  more 
industrious,  intelligent  and  patriotic  people.  Their  industry 
is  shown  by  the  improvements  made  in  agriculture,  manu- 
factures and  commerce,  while  in  intelligence  we  need  only 
refer  to  the  thousands  of  religious,  literary,  scientific  and 


CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  71 

political  publications  taken  and  read  by  our  people,  and 
there  is  little  for  us  to  be  ashamed  of  except  some  few  of  our 
representatives  in  times  gone  by;  but  when  we  look  back 
and  count  the  many  thousands  who  went  into  the  service  of 
the  country  from  Chautauqua  to  suppress  the  rebellion,  and 
consider  the  quality  as  well  as  the  number  who  went,  we 
have  a  right  to  speak  of  the  patriotism  of  our  people,  and 
when  we  can  truly  say  that  every  dollar  of  the  expenses  was 
promptly  paid,  we  have  a  right  to  feel  proud  that  we  live  in 
such  a  favored  spot.  In  conclusion,  Gov.  P.  said:  "I  would 
now  call  on  your  worthy  Chairman,  a  native  of  your  village, 
well  known  to  its  citizens,  who  can  speak  of  and  for  Fre- 
donia  as  well  as  any  gentleman  I  know." 

Mr.  Risley  delivered  the  following  beautiful  tribute — the 
literary  gem  of  the  evening: 

HON.  H,  A.  RISLEY' s  TRIBUTE* 

If  there  is  on  earth  one  place  where  more  than  another,  a 
kind  rememberance  and  cordial  greeting  would  touch  the 
tender  chords  of  my  nature,  it  is  here  in  my  native  village. 

The  scenes  around  are  all  familiar,  and  yet  strange. 
Here  is  the  green  on  which  my  boyhood  sported,  but  covered 
with  trees  and  adorned  with  fountains  unknown  to  my 
youthful  days.  The  Arkwright  hills  loom  up,  as  they  did 
then,  but  stripped  of  their  forests  and  dotted  with  habita- 
tions. I  miss  ancient  land-marks  and  forms  and  faces  that 
I  used  to  see.  I  read  familiar  names  chiseled  in  marble  on 
yonder  hill;  and  there,  too,  mourned  and  lamented  friends 
of  my  youth,  and  beloved  kindred,  rest.  I  cannot  but  love 
Fredonia.  The  skies  are  brighter  here,  the  summer  verdure 
is  greener,  the  air  more  balmy,  all  nature  seems  more 
beautiful  and  joyous  than  elsewhere  that  I  go.  Yes,  Fre- 
donia «•  a  lovely  village.  Its  people  are  virtuous,  intelligent, 
prosperous  and  happy.  Their  hearts  throb  to  manly  senti- 
ments and  elevated  aims  as  constantly  as  the  waves  of 
yonder  lake  beat  upon  the  shore.  Thirty-five  years, 
momentous  in  the  world's  history,  have  gone  by  since  this 
village  was  my  home.  I  often  visit  it  in  reality  and  oftener 
in  dreams.  What  future  years,  near  or  remote,  may  have 
in  store  for  us  we  cannot  tell;  but  I  indulge  the  hope  that 
by  and  by  I  may  come  back  to  this  scene  of  rural  beauty, 
and  here  see  gather  around  me  the  evening  shades  of  life, 
where  I  witnessed  and  enjoyed  the  brightness  of  its  morning. 
Though  greatly  changed,  Fredonia  is  still  the  same  in  my 
memory  and  affections.  The  Academy  is  indeed  desolate 


72  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

and  deserted.  A  more  imposing  edifice,  that  noble  monu- 
ment of  your  enterprise,  towers  up  near  it — but  not  the  old 
Academy  to  memory  dear.  The  companions  of  my  youth 
are  scattered;  many  of  them  are  out  upon  the  silent  sea,  and 
pensive  memories  come  back  to  me  unbidden;  but  most  of 
you  are  strangers,  and  few  will  care  to  hear  recitals  of  the 
past. 

It  is  pleasant  to  be  again  in  my  early  home.  The  wintry 
blasts  and  shifting  snows,  even,  are  not  ungrateful  to  me. 
But  more  pleasant  are  my  summer  rambles  in  the  hills  and 
groves,  when  I  revisit  youthful  haunts  and  scenes*  of  joyful 
pastime.  Once  more  I  am  in  that  shaded  retreat,  sacred  to 
love,  where  now  a  unique  cottage  happily  shelters  early 
friends,  whose  destinies  are  united.  My  steps  lead  down 
the  gentle  hill-side  to  lovely  Canadaway; 

"I  stand  by  the  water  where  both  of  us  stood; 
There  is  but  one  shadow  to  darken  the  flood; 
And  the  path  leading  to  it,  where  both  used  to  pass, 
Now,  the  step  of  but  one,  takes  the  dew  from  the  grass." 

But  I  weary  you  with  sad  reflections  when  the  occasion 
should  be  one  of  joy,  and  I  return  to  the  purpose  for  which 
I  rose,  to  thank  you  for  your  generous  greeting,  and  for 
associating  me  in  your  sentiment  and  your  song  with  '  'days 
ofauld  lang  syne;"  and  I  say  in  conclusion,  of  Fredonia 
and  Fredonians, 

"I've  wandered  east,  I've  wandered  west, 

I've  borne  a  weary  lot; 
But  in  my  wanderings,  far  and  near, 
Ye  never  were  forgot. 

The  fount  that  first  burst  from  my  heart 

Still  travels  on  its  way, 
And  channels  deeper  as  it  runs 

The  love  of  life's  young  day." 

I  propose  a  sentiment — my  sentiment/  if  you  please,  for 
your  consideration: 

The  village  of  Fredonia — with  its  schools  and  churches — 
its  tasteful  grounds  and  comfortable  homes — its  peaceful 
government — thriving  population — intelligent  and  refined 
society. 

Mr.  Risley,  after  reading  this  sentiment,  called  on  Hon. 
Addison  C.  Gushing,  President  of  the  village,  to  respond, 
remarking  that  he  was  a  son  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
of  the  earliest  inhabitants,  a  native  Fredonian,  who,  unlike 
good  men  of  old  we  read  of,  is  not  without  honor  in  his  own 
country. 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  73 

The  band  played  "Home  Sweet  Home,"  and  Mr.  Gushing 
amid  hearty  cheers  arose  and  responded.: 

MR.  CUSHING'S  RESPONSE. 

It  seems  proper  that  one  should  respond  to  the  allusion 
just  made  who  by  the  kindness  of  his  many  friends  occupies 
the  honorable  position  of  President  of  the  corporation  of  the 
village  of  Fredonia,  which  has  so  long  sustained  and  been 
supported  in  turn  and  built  up  with  and  by  that  journal 
whose  semi-centennial  growth  we  celebrate  to-night. 

It  is  not  otherwise  inappropriate  that  this  should  devolve 
upon  me  to  discharge  in  some  becoming  terms  (if  happily  I 
could  find  them)  since  the  years  of  my  life  bear  even  date 
with  the  existence  of  the  Fredonia  Censor,  the  place  of  our 
origin  and  nativity  the  same,  and  where  our  joint  course 
has  been  wholly  spent  and  is  likely  to  run  on  together. 

The  columns  of  the  Censor  are  associated  with  my  earliest 
recollections  and  knowledge  of  letters,  which  may  almost 
literally  be  said  to  have  been  acquired  by  me  from  its  pages, 
where  those  attractive  rudiments  of  learning  were  displayed 
in  the  largest  types  of  those  primitive  days. 

Fifty  years  ago  the  Censor  made  its  debut  into  my  father's 
home,  and  from  my  earliest  remembrance  to  the  present 
time  it  has  been  perused  by  me,  and  I  have  imbibed  its 
weekly  stock  of  knowledge,  wit  and  song  until  I  may  with 
decent  pride  to-night  assume  to  be  a  part  of  it,  and  to  in- 
corporate in  myself  some  of  the  fruits  of  its  life,  which  have 
ripened  at  this  hour. 

One  of  the  earliest  forms  of  dignity  which  my  memory 
recalls,  is  that  of  the  founder  and  first  editor  of  this  sheet, 
who  is  familiarly  but  not  irreverently  named  '  'old  Censor, ' ' 
a  citizen  whose  life  has  been  one  of  labor  and  success  in  the 
path  chosen  by  himself,  and  to-night  full  of  fruition  not  too 
often  realized  by  man.  His  days  have  been  happily  pro- 
longed until  the  snows  of  three  score  and  ten  winters  begin 
to  bleach  his  rugged  head,  but  heaven  yet  lends  proportionate 
and  seemly  vigor  to  his  mind  and  form.  His  ways  among 
us  have  become,  like  true  religion,  "ways  of  pleasantness, 
and  all  his  paths  are  peace. ' ' 


A  backward  glance  of  my  memory,  almost  cotemporary 
with  the  life  of  the  Censor,  reveals  a  small  hamlet,  shut  in  by 
the  forest.  Here  nestled  about  five  hundred  people.  The 
shadows  of  the  all  embracing  forest  covered  their  feeble 
settlement  at  morn,  and  mysteriously  and  noiselessly  crept 


74  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

over  the  narrow  fields  and   simple  gardens,  as   the  daylight 
faded. 

The  strokes  of  the  stalwart  settlers  hewing  out  these 
homes  of  ours,  echoed  from  hill  and  dale.  Under  their 
sturdy  blows,  day  by  day  these  fields  and  meadows,  now 
spreading  everywhere,  grew,  and  rough,  plenty  and 
abundant  hospitality,  with  brotherly  love,  flowed  like  a 
river. 

The  noble  structures,  and  the  beautiful  and  attractive 
homes  which  now  surround  us,  had  no  existence  then,  and 
the  long-cherished  old  Academy,  whose  first  teacher  is  here, 
which  for  so  many  years  shed  forth  its  glorious  light  of 
knowledge,  had  not  yet  come  to  bless  us.  No  church  bell 
broke  the  Sabbath  stillness.  No  church  then  stood  where 
so  many  now  rear  their  steeples  heavenward,  and  even  the 
old  stone  school  house,  .called  the  "jail,"  did  not  exist. 
There  was,  indeed,  a  school  house  on  the  common,  of 
primitive  architecture,  and  another  which  then  stood  on  the 
site  of  the  dilapidated  brick  structure,  on  what  is  called  the 
Houghton  common,  where  the  birch  was  judiciously  but 
soundly  administered  in  the  ancient  and  wholesome  way. 
Many  names  and  forms,  long  buried,  come  before  me. 
They  are  the  forms  of  the  noble  men  and  women,  who, 
with  some  yet  among  us,  built  up  the  total  of  this  we  see, 
and  made  us  what  we  are,  and  gave  us  our  lot  to  be  '  'cast 
in  pleasant  places. ' ' 

********** 

But  time  and  discretion  bid  me  pause.  The  corporation 
of  Fredonia  for  which  I  have  ventured  to  speak,  and  out  of 
whose  abundant  prosperity,  gratitude  and  pride  I  might 
speak  much  more  at  length  and  not  exaggerate,  will  ever 
cherish  the  memory  and  nourish  the  virtues  of  the  men  upon 
whose  labor  our  prosperity  and  homes  have  been  reared. 
They  bore  the  brunt,  we  reap  the  fruit  of  their  exposure 
and  toils.  We  shall  not  forget  them.  Let  us  at  least  be 
reverentially  kind  and  generous  to  those  who  yet  remain 
with  us.  They  have  bequeathed  to  us  every  facility  for 
comfort,  education  and  knowledge. 

In  this  work  the  Censor  has  been  as  a  handmaid,  recorder 
and  epitomizer  of  their  acts.  It  is  working  with  us  to-day 
for  the  common  good.  L,et  its  next  half  century  be  as  able 
and  unselfish  as  the  days  of  the  old  Censor,  as  true  to 
morals,  patriotic  duty  and  public  virtue,  and  our  beautiful 
village,  expanding  over  other  hills  and  wider  fields,  may, 
at  its  centennary  jubilee,  adorn  the  fortunate  and  worthy 


CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAI,.  75 

successor  of  its  founder  with   a  civic  wreath  of  praise  which 

shall  honor  them  both,  and   be  nobler  than  a    golden  medal 

or  trophy  of  some  bloody  fight. 

The  Chairman  then  gave  the  following  sentiment: 

The  neighboring  villages — prosperous,    enterprising,  law 

abiding,  and  abounding  in  privileges  and  blessings — they  do 

honor  to  the  State  and  nation. 

Hon.   J.    T.   Williams,    of    Dunkirk,    being    called   for, 

responded  with  the   following  interesting  sketches   of  early 

experience: 

REMINISCENCES  BY  DR.  J.  T.  WILLIAMS. 
Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen: 

The  lateness  of  the  hour  will,  of  itself,  prevent  any 
extended  remarks  by  me  in  response  to  the  sentiment  just 
offered.  As  a  life-long  resident  of  Dunkirk,  a  village 
immediately  adjoining  Fredonia,  I  may  be  permitted  to  say 
a  word.  I  well  remember  the  years  white  the  Censor  was 
under  the  control  of  the  gentleman  in  whose  honor  this 
banquet  is  given,  when  Dunkirk  was  struggling  for  an 
existence,  and  your  village  was  basking  in  the  sunshine  of 
prosperity;  when  our  mails,  one  a  day,  were  carried  on  a 
horse  from  this  office;  when  all  the  pleasures  of  boyhood  in 
attending  circuses,  caravans  and  other  shows  were  alone  to 
be  found  in  Fredonia;  and  the  great  day,  the  day  of  all 
others,  to  which  we  boys  looked  forward,  was  the  annual 
general  training.  Well  do  I  remember  the  first  one  I  ever 
attended,  when  with  but  eleven  cents  to  start  with,  I  spent 
the  entire  day  with  my  youthful  comrades  in  eating  and 
drinking,  and  marching  up  and  down  the  hill.  It  has  been  a 
day  never  to  be  forgotten  by  me.  It  was  in  the  old  Academy 
here  that  a  majority  of  my  school  days  were  spent,  when 
Mr.  Palmer,  and  after  him  Mr.  Redington,  had  charge;  and 
here  I  may  be  permitted  to  say,  without  detracting  from  the 
merits  of  the  very  popular  teachers  now  at  the  head  of  your 
Normal  School,  that  no  abler  gentleman  ever  occupied  the 
position  of  Principal  of  the  dear  old  institution  than  Mr. 
Redington.  It  was  in  those  old  days,  when  such  a  thing  as  a 
daily  paper  was  entirely  unknown  in  our  retired  village, 
that  I  used  to  count  the  days  and  sometimes  the  hours  for 
the  coming  of  the  Censor,  and  that  my  eyes  first  beheld  a 
genuine,  true,  live  editor  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Frisbee.  I 
used  to  wonder  how  it  was  possible  for  him  to  possess  and 
retain  all  the  knowledge  contained  in  the  Censor  from  week 
to  week.  It  was  of  Mr.  Frisbee,  as  a  bookseller,  that  I 


76  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

purchased  my  first  school-books,  and  it  is  fresh  in  my  mind 
how,  upc*i  returning  home  one  day  from  school,  I  stated  to- 
my  parents  that  '  'if  all  the  people  in  Fredonia  were  as  kind 
and  gentlemanly  as  Mr.  Frisbee,  it  would  be  a  delightful 
place  to  live  in. ' ' 

And  now,  Mr.  President,  in  closing,  I  cannot  but  express- 
the  wish  that  the  double  track  of  iron  so  closely  binding  our 
two  villages  may  but  add  to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of 
both,  and  I  do  not  trespass  upon  the  imagination  in  looking 
forward  to  the  day  when  we  shall  be  united  under  our 
corporate  government,  having  an  importance  not  surpassed 
by  any  village  in  Western  New  York. 

After  the  remarks  of  Dr.  Williams,  Mr,  Risley  said:  "It 
gives  me  great  pleasure  to  welcome  here  to-night  two- 
eminent  gentlemen  from  our  sister  village  of  Westfi eld,  the' 
only  village  we  acknowledge  as  a  rival  in  rural  beauty  and 
attraction,  the  Hon.  Austin  Smith  and  Hon.  Alvin  Plumb, 
and  we  feel  the  more  pleasure  and  pride  in  their  presence, 
as  we  may  claim  them  as  early  residents  of  Fredonia.  Mr. 
Plumb  was  connected  with  mercantile  affairs  here  at  a  period 
anterior  to  the  founding  of  the  Censot .  Mr.  Smith  was  the 
first  preceptor  of  the  Fredonia  Academy,  loved  by  his  pupils, 
and  honored  for  his  scholarly  attainments  and  many  excel- 
lences of  character.  Both  of  these  gentlemen  have  served 
the  people  with  credit  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  enjoy  in 
an  eminent  degree  the  public  confidence  and  regard.  I 
know  you  will  be  glad  to  hear  from  them." 

Mr.  Smith  gave  a  pleasant  account  qf  his  experience  as 
first  teacher  in  the  Academy,  and  made  a  pleasing  tribute 
to  the  character  of  the  people  here,  justly  ascribing  the 
success  of  the  schools  and  newspapers  to  the  liberal  support 
always  accorded  by  the  community.  Mr.  Plumb  responded 
handsomely,  and  closed  by  reciting  one  of  Mr.  Frisbee's 
early  editorial  squibs. 

At  this  point  Gov.  Patterson  stood  -up  and  addressed  the 
Chair  about  as  follows: 

"Mr.  President — Our  friend  Frisbee  is  getting  old,  and 
ought  to  have  something  to  help  him  around.  There's  five 
dollars;  now  let  the  other  friends  send  up  what  they  want 


CENSOR    SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  77 

to,  and  you  take  it  and  get  him  a  nice  gold  headed  cane. ' ' 
The  result  of  this  suggestion  was  a  collection  sufficient  lo 
furnish  the  veteran  editor  with  a  nice  cane,  properly  in- 
scribed, and  with  an  engraving  of  the  old  Ramage  press,  like 
that  on  which  the  Censor  was  commenced.  Mr.  McKinstry 
was  subsequently  the  recipient  of  a  similarly  inscribed  cane, 
as  a  memorial  of  the  gathering. 

Mr.  Risley  next  read  the  following  sentiment,  remarking 
that  it  was  one  for  very  grave  consideration : 

The  Judiciary — the  safeguard  of  our  liberties,  the  bulwark 
of  our  rights,  the  guardian  of  the  press,  and  of  all  wre  most 
cherish  in  social  life. 

He  proceeded  to  say:  Many  of  you  will  remember  that 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  there  came  to  this  village 
a  modest,  discreet,  intelligent  young  man,  then  recently 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  established  himself  in  the  practice 
of  the  law.  It  required  courage  and  self-reliance,  without 
the  patronage  of  powerful  friends,  to  attempt  to  build  a 
professional  business  and  reputation  in  competition  with 
many  able  lawyers,  some  of  them  distinguished.  But  by 
his  own  unaided  efforts,  by  industry,  perseverance,  courtesy 
and  honorable  bearing,  he  made  his  way  to  a  commanding 
position  among  the  leaders  of  the  bar,  and  that  unassuming 
young  man  of  twenty  years  ago,  now  in  the  prime  of  a 
vigorous  and  honorable  manhood,  sh  eds  luster  on  a  high 
judicial  station,  and  upholds  with  even  hand  the  scales  of 
public  justice.  I  know  you  will  rejoice  to  hear  him,  the 
Honorable  George  Barker,  respond  to  the  sentiment  just 
submitted. 

Judge  Barker  said: 

HON.  GEO.  BARKER'S  RESPONSE. 

Upon  this  social  occasion,  so  pleasant  and  entertaining, 
and  which  recalls  to  our  minds  personal  reminiscences  in  the 
lives  and  times  of  many  of  those  present  as  well  as  those 
departed,  it  seems  demure  and  grave  to  introduce  sentiments 
pertaining  to  the  Judiciary. 

But  while  we  are  indulging  in  these  festivities,  and 
delighting  our  hearts  in  celebrating  this  event  so  thought- 
fully commemorated,  it  is  perhaps  prudent  to  bring  before 
our  eyes  the  blind  goddess,  that  we  may  be  inspired  this 
evening  to  be  fair  to  the  present  as  well  as  just  to  the  past, 


7#  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

aud  deal  out  even  handed  justice  to  the  honored   guest  and 
to  our  generous  host. 

We,  their  friends,  summoned  as  triers  this  evening,  give 
in  our  verdict  that  founder  and  successor  justly  merit  all  the 
success  they  have  attained  in  business,  and  the  great  honor 
they  have  attained  as  citizens,  that  each  is  the  equal  of  the 
other,  and  that  '  'Mac' '  pay  the  costs. 

Mr.  President,  the  press  is  in  a  degree  allied  to  the 
Judiciary.  While  the  Judiciary  is  a  separate  and  independent 
department  of  government,  the  press  is  an  institution  of  the 
country.  Without  both  existing  independent  and  intelligent,, 
there  can  be  no  secure  liberty.  Since  the  art  of  printing 
was  invented,  the  system  of  jurisprudence  which  prevails  in 
this  country  has  made  its  greatest  progress,  and  attained  its 
highest  perfection.  Its  advancement  and  the  general  spread 
of  its  principles  and  learning  is  vastly  due  to  this  invaluable 
art.  It  brings  forward  to  these  times  for  the  study  and  use 
of  the  lawyer  all  that  is  preserved  and  is  useful  of  the  laws 
and  commentaries  of  the  British,  Roman,  Saxon,  Danish 
and  Norman  customs,  of  which  the  common  law  is  a  mixture, 
and  for  this  reason  more  complete  in  its  axioms  and 
principles,  and  wise  and  liberal  in  procedure.  The  press  is, 
in  return,  indebted  to  the  judiciary  for  the  power  it  now 
possesses,  and  the  stability  it  enjoys  as  an  institution  in  all 
free  communities. 

The  American  system  of  jurisprudence  is  not  novel.  It  is 
inherited  from  our  ancestors,  who  as  citizens  and  subjects, 
not  as  kings  and  rulers,  originated,  debated  and  promulgated 
to  the  world  through  the  unsilenced  voice  of  the  press,  the 
political  ideas  on  which  the  foundations  of  the  Republic  are 
laid.  This  judicature  is  capable  of  abandoning  error, 
adapted  to  reforms,  and  well  answers  the  wants  of  a  law 
abiding,  trading,  and  commercial  people,  and  ever  strength- 
ening and  replenishing  the  bench  frcm  the  ranks  of  an 
honored  and  learned  profession.  The  Press,  judging  it  as  a 
whole,  and  by  its  best  examples,  is  like  the  people  it 
educates:  ready,  rapid,  enterprising,  independent  and 
successful,  and  to  such  a  degree  are  the  virtues  and  happiness 
of  the  people  influenced  by  its  teachings,  that  all  good  men 
implore  editors  and  authors  to  a  faithful  and  patriotic  dis- 
charge of  duty. 

Mr.  Frisbee   had   by  this   time  recovered    his  equanimity 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAI,.  7'9 

sufficiently  to  return  thanks  for  the  testimonial  so  unexpect- 
edly proposed  for  him.  He  made  his  acknowledgement  with 
feeling  and  in  well  chosen  words. 

'  'The  pioneer  members  of  the  bar  of  Chautauqua  County" 
was  the  next  sentiment.  Hon.  O.  Stiles  was  called  on  and 
responded  in  a  happy  manner  as  follows: 

HON.  ORSON  STILES  RESPONDS. 

Mr.  President:  I  am  quite  sure  you  have  made  a  mistake 
in  calling  upon  me  to  respond  to  this  sentiment.  I  will  not 
refuse,  however,  for  fear  my  cherished  friend,  Mr.  McKinstry, 
would  conclude  that  I  was  not  in  sympathy  with  this 
occasion,  and  did  not  appreciate  his  hospitality.  But  the 
error  in  the  selection  consists  in  this,  that  the  sentiment 
alludes  to  men  who  are  committed  to  a  profession  for  which 
I  have  no  taste,  and  from  which  I  improved  the  first 
favorable  opportunity  to  effect  a  divorce.  This  occurred  at 
my  election  to  the  clerkship  of  this  County,  and  it  was  most 
thoroughly  done. 

I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  \vhen  I  first  became 
acquainted  with  the  profession  here,  no  county  of  its  popula- 
tion had  a  stronger  representation  at  the  bar,  with  all  that 
variety  of  gifts  and  attainments  which  makes  a  bar  complete. 
I  remember,  sir,  in  gratitude,  with  what  cheerfulness  I  was 
adopted  into  their  circle,  and  made  one  of  their  number.  It 
was  on  motion  of  that  venerable  man,  Judge  Hazeltine, 
approved  by  Judge  Mullett,  that  my  name  was  allowed  to  be 
subscribed  to  the  roll,  and  that  I  was  invited  to  a  seat  in  the 
circle  of  those  learned  and  dignified  men.  Then  unshaved, 
and  too  young  to  shave,  I  was  attracted  to  them  by  those 
acts  of  warm  welcome,  and  as  by  further  intercourse  I  became 
better  acquainted  with  their  capacities  and  their  worth,  my 
first  pleasant  impressions  grew  and  hardened  into  the  most 
positive  admiration  and  respect. 

*******         * 

On  my  return  from  my  first  attendance  upon  a  court  at 
Mayville,  I  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Sevvard  at  Westfield. 
He  treated  me  with  great  consideration,  placed  his  warm 
hand- upon  me  and  welcomed  me  into  a  profession  which  he 
himself  adorned  and  dignified  and  beautified,  and  by  way  of 
encouragement  gave  me  the  foreclosure  of  a  mortgage  from 
the  Land  Office,  and  it  was  the  first  paper  to  which  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  my  name  appended,  "Orson  Stiles, 


80  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

att'y  at  law,"  and  this  was  published  in  the  Censor.  Mr. 
Seward  was  warm-hearted  enough  to  do  it,  and  sagacious 
enough  to  know  it  was  well  to  do  it,  knowing  as  he  did  that 
boys  will  become  men;  and  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  he 
furnished  me  my  political  gospel,  and  it  is  unnecessary  for 
me  to  say  to  you,  Mr.  President,  that  I  drank  it  in  like  warm 
milk — it  was  good. 

***•»*** 

And  now,  sir,  it  hardly  becomes  me  to  call  these  men  by 
name,  and  to  speak  particularly  and  distinctively  of  the 
qualities  which  gave  them  their  position  and  character. 
Many  of  them  still  live.  There  were  Hazeltine,.  Marvin, 
Brown,  Lewis,  Smith,  Houghton,  Mulletr,  Tucker,  Williams 
and  Burn  ell,  all  good  men,  committed  to  all  good  enterprises, 
and  were  identified  with  all  those  acts  of  Christian  benevo- 
lence and  love  which  seek  to  alleviate  human  suffering  and 
to  elevate  mankind.  They  knew,  and  appropriated  the 
intelligence  into  practical  living,  that  integrity  must  constitute 
the  big  muscle  in  any  round,  well-formed  and  symmetrical 
character,  and  it  is  enough  to  say  of  them,  sir,  that  they 
were  all  true  men,  engaged  in  a  generous  profession  which 
sympathizes  with  all  the  quarrels  of  all  the  world,  and  that 
they  have  given  to  Chautauqua  county  the  highest  character 
for  legal  strength  and  worth.  That  this  is  true  is  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  under  our  new  judiciary  system  so  many  of 
our  lawyers  have  been  called  to  the  bench  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  there  to  exercise  the  highest  attribute  of  a  freeman, 
the  attribute  of  justice;  and,  Mr.  President,  so  well  have 
they  filled  these  places  that  the  impression  remains  still  in 
the  district  that  Chautauqua  county  must  fill  up  the  vacant 
places  on  the  bench,  and  it  is  not  immodest  in  me  to  say 
that  she  is  willing  to  do  it,  and  can  do  it  well. 


[Mr.  Stiles  referred  to  some  of  his  early  contributions  to 
the  Censor,  reciting  them  in  a  humorous  way,  and  con- 
cluded :] 

My  heart  goes  back  to  them  now  in  throbs  of  the  purest 
affection,  and  I  stand  here  to-night  to  say  that  the  Cense* 
has  been  a  triumphant  success,  and  has  survived  half  a 
century  because  it  refused  to  publish  uncorrected  my 
"obituary"  and  my  "Eternity,"  and  because  it  has  been 
persistently  plain  and  truthful, — that  in  its  uniform  course, 
dealing  with  simple  and  unadorned  facts,  and  presenting 
them  in  language  unincumbered  by  rhythm  or  rhetoric,  it 


CENSOR  SEMi-CENTEisrNiAi,.  8i 


has  gained  the  highest  position,  and  from  that  position  it 
sheds  back  the  light  of  its  triumph  and  its  glory  upon  the 
whitening  heads  of  its  editors.  They  will  soon  go  to  their 
rest,  and  you  and  I  will  go  with  them  hand  in  hand  to  the 
grave,  and  the  resurrection  and  the  judgment,  for  it  is  true 

•"We're  growing  old  —  we're  growing  old  ! 
How  the  thought  will  rise 
When  a  glance  is  backward  cast 
On  some  long-remembered  spot  that  lies 
In  the  silence  of  tne  past." 

Mr.  Risley  then  read  the  following  sentiment: 
The  Free  Press  —  "the  Tyrant's  foe,  the  People's  friend," 
And  said  it  gave  him   pleasure,  as  he  knew   it  would  all 
present,  to  call  for  a  response   to  this  sentiment  upon   one  of 
your  citizens  distinguished  for  his  literary   culture,  learning 
and  ability,  Oscar  \V.  Johnson,  Esq.     Mr.  Johnson  said: 

REMARKS  OF  O.   W.  JOHNSON",   ESQ. 

Mr.  President  —  The  sentiment  to  which  I  am  called  upon 
to  respond  —  "A  Free  Press  —  The  Tyrant's  foe,  the  People's 
friend"  —  is  the  words  which  stood  out  in  iron  letters  upon 
the  front  of  the  press  on  which  the  Censor  was  originally 
printed.  This  press  was  the  first  great  light  set  up  in  the 
wilderness  of  Chautauqua.  But  three  such  lights  then 
burned  in  the  wide  expanse  between  it  and  the  Pacific. 
The  wilderness  has  gone;  all  but  one  of  the  original  sub- 
scribers of  the  Censor  sleep  in  the  grave;  the  log  cabins 
where  it  was  read  exist  only  in  the  memory  of  the  aged, 
who  hallow  them  as  childhood's  home;  yet  the  paper 
continues  to  give  its  light,  and  will  record  the  struggles,  the 
joys  and  sorrows  of  generations  to  come,  as  it  has  of  those 
which  have  passed  away.  No  more  sublime  and  com- 
prehensive expression  of  the  mission  of  the  Press  was  ever 
made  than  in  those  iron  letters.  It  is  the  Press,  more  than 
all  other  human  agencies,  that  has  in  the  last  half  century, 
changed  the  slow  and  measured  tread  with  which  humanity 
was  moving  forward,  into  a  joyous  quick-step.  It  belongs 
to  the  world,  for  in  all  nations,  in  all  languages,  it  spreads 
and  gives  endurance  to  human  thought.  Its  diffusion  of 
light  makes  it  possible  that  the  time  may  come  when  all 
the  children  of  men  may  have  liberty,  and  a  fair  share  of 
the  joys,  hopes  and  opportunities  of  life.  It  is  the  medium 
by  which  the  dead  speak  to  us  —  it  embodies  the  voice  of  all 
the  buried  generations,  and  by  it  the  living  hope  for 
influence  upon  the  future,  and  for  immortality.  It  binds 
the  ages  together  in  a  holy  sympathy,  and  to  the  last,  man 


82  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

will  carry  the  picture  of  the  Paradise  in  which  the  first  man  was 
placed.  In  the  end  it  will  embody  the  hopes,  the  struggles, 
the  triumphs,  the  green  and  the  ripened  fruits  of  humanity. 
The  human  voice  can  reach  but  few;  it  dies  out  upon  the 
air;  but  the  press  makes  a  thought  that  touches  the  great 
heart  of  humanity,  the  common  inheritance  of  all  genera- 
tions. Twenty  centuries  ago  the  voice  of  John  the  Baptist 
was  heard  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea,  and  to-day,  in  three 
hundred  languages,  the  Press  carries  his  utterances  to  the 
souls  of  men.  While  the  Press  has  great  power,  it  has 
proportionate  responsibilities;  but  when  it  is  left  free,  truth 
will,  from  its  inherent  power,  ultimately  triumph  over  error. 
Grappling  with  the  events  that  make  the  life  of  the  age, 
burning  with  all  of  its  aspirations,  its  passions  and  its 
impulses,  infusing  them  daily  into  millions  of  souls,  there  is 
110  measure  of  its  power.  The  lightnings  bring  its  material; 
each  night  it  has  the  world's  history  of  the  day,  and  the  iron 
horse,  outspeeding  the  tempest,  carries  it  to  the  homes  of 
men.  The  time  is  coming  when  from  all  the  diverse  points 
that  restless  man  has  wandered,  he  can  send  his  daily 
greetings  back  to  those  who  sit  around  the  cradle  of  the 
race.  The  Press  is  mightier  than  thrones.  No  despot  dares 
allow  it  to  be  free.  All  the  temples  and  ships  and  homes  of 
the  earth  are  not  worth  as  much  as  the  truth,  the  wisdom, 
the  words  of  inspiration  and  of  cheer,  the  lessons  of  heroism 
and  self-sacrifice  which  the  press  has  embalmed  and  made 
the  common  treasure  of  humanity.  Perhaps  at  the  close 
of  another  half  century,  when  most  of  us  have  gone  to  the 
grave,  the  centennial  ol  the  Censor  may  be  celebrated  by 
our  successors,  and  we  may  fondly  hope  that  with  all  the 
active  agencies  for  human  progress,  human  life  will  then 
have  a  beauty,  a  fullness  and  a  glory  of  which  we  can  only 
dream. 


The  early  pioneers  of  our  village.  They  endured  priva- 
tions and  encountered  perils  to  lay  the  foundation  of  our 
prosperit)^. 

RESPONSE  BY  MR.  C.  F.  MATTESON. 

Mr.  President: — This  assemblage,  and  the  event  which 
we  are  here  to  commemorate,  has  brought  to  my  recollection 
the  appearance  which  our  village  presented  at  or  about  the 
time  of  the  first  publication  of  the  Censor,  and  the  actors 
then  upon  the  stage. 

Just  before  sunset  on  the  gih  day  of  July,  1822,  I  first  saw 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  83 

Fredonia,  as  I  emerged  from  the  dense  forest  which  then 
lined  both  sides  of  the  main  road  from  near  the  present 
residence  of  Judge  Barker,  eastward. 

About  the  first  thing  that  attracted  attention  was  the  men 
of  the  village  that  day  assembled  raising  the  frame  of  the  old 
Academy,  an  institution  within  the  walls  of  which  you,  sir, 
and  I  and  others  present  acquired  the  best  part  of  our 
education,  in  company  with  many  others  who  have  gone 
from  its  halls,  to  do  their  part  in  the  battle  of  life  and  who 
have  attained  high  rank  in  the  pulpit,  at  the  bar,  on  the 
judge's  bench,  in  medical  science,  in  politics,  as  farmers, 
mechanics  and  in  all  the  various  avocations  of  life.  Fre- 
douia  in  1821-2  consisted  of  about  80  or  90  dwelling  houses 
and  about  400  inhabitants,  with  scarcely  a  grey  head  among 
them.  It  had  no  church  edifices,  but  had  3  taverns,  3 
stores,  i  grist  mill,  i  saw  mill,  i  cloth  dressing  shop,  3 
distilleries,  2  tanneries,  3  blacksmith  shops,  i  harness  shop, 
2  school  houses,  i  ashery  and  some  other  small  places  of 
business.  The  first  sign  that  one  saw  as  he  came  in  from 
the  east  was  that  of  A.  Fink,  blacksmith,  near  where  the 
house  of  L.  B.  Grant  now  stands;  he,  however,  moved  to 
Dunkirk  in  a  year  or  two.  Where  Dr.  Walworth  now 
lives,  Arnold  Russell  had  his  home,  and  from  the  little 
building  which  Dr.  Walworth  calls  his  office,  Mrs.  Russell 
sold  gingerbread  or  Training  cake  at  3  creases  for  a  cent. 


I  well  remember  the  first  time  I  entered  the  office,  a  timid, 
bashful  boy,  but  having  great  curiosity.  I  had  seen  news- 
papers, but  had  no  definite  idea  how  they  were  made,  and 
I  went  to  see.  I  had  formed  a  most  exalted  estimate  of  the 
industry,  skill  and  wisdom  of  a  man  who  could  make  a 
newspaper.  It  was  publication  day  and  I  found  the  printer' s 
devil  with  an  ink  ball  in  each  hand,  applying  the  ink  to  the 
form,  and  the  editor  and  proprietor  hard  at  work  at  the 
press.  I  saw  the  cases,  type,  ink,  paper,  press  and  all  the 
material  of  the  office.  I  saw  the  printer  and  the  rapidity 
with  which  he  multiplied  the  copies.  I  wondered  at  his 
skill  and  knowledge,  and  as  I  looked — "the  more  the  wonder 
grew,  that  one  small  head  could  carry  all  he  knew." 
He  saw  my  curiosity,  explained  many  things  I  did 
not  before  understand,  gave  me  a  newspaper,  and  with 
an  eye  to  business  told  me  to  take  it  home  and  ask  my  father 
to  subscribe  for  it.  With  paper  in  hand  I  ran  home  delight- 
ed, told  my  story,  and  was  sent  back  with  the  subscription 
price,  and  from  that  time  to  this,  I  have  read  the  Censor 


$4  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES.. 

almost  every  week.  I  have  many  volumes  of  it  bound  and 
carefully  preserved,  and  although  it  is  many  years  since  it 
passed  into  other  hands  than  those  of  its  founder,  I  still  read 
it  with  pleasure,  and  occasionally  recognize  in  its  columns, 
the  familiar  signature  of  H.  C.  F.  It  needs  not,  however,, 
these  letters  to  point  out  the  author,  for  the  terse  style,, 
caustic  wit,  pungent  repartee  and  easy  language  are 
characteristics  not  easily  mistaken. 


Mr.  McKinstry,  after  referring  to  the  founding  of  the 
Erie  Gazette  by  Judge  Sterrettr  (still  living  at  Brie, )  a  year 
in  advance  of  Mr.  Frisbee's  publication  of  the  Censor,  pro 
posed  the  toast: 

The  Erie  Gazette — the  pioneer  paper  of  western  Pennsyl- 
vania. Long  may  it  prosper  and  reflect  honor  on  its  pure- 
and  upright  founder. 

Mr.  Gliddon,  the  present  proprietor,  was  called  upon,  and 
spoke  in  reply.  He  highly  complimented  the  character  of 
the  proceedings. 

Next  was  the  sentiment: 

The  Advertiser  &  Union — a  worthy  co-laborer  with  the 
Censor  in  furnishing  a  medium  of  public  communication — as 
a  party  organ  true  to  its  principles,  and  firm,  able  and 
earnest  in  maintaining  them. 

Mr.  C.  E.  Benton  responded  briefly,  testifying  truly  to  the 
pleasant  nature  of  his  intercourse  with  the  printers  of  the 
village  and  county. 

Our  institution  of  learning — unsurpassed  in  excellence  in 
any  section  of  the  State  or  country. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Armstrong,  President  of  the  Normal  School, 
was  called  upon  and  Jesponded  as  follows: 

Mr.  President,  L,adies  and  Gentlemen:  I  am  sorry  that  I 
was  not  born  in  Fredonia.  Being  almost  a  stranger  in  the 
place,  I  have  no  recollections  of  olden  times  for  this  interesting 
occasion.  The  schools  of  Fredonia,  and  of  Chautauqua 
county,  have  had  their  history,  but  I  cannot  tell  it.  Others 
must  recount  their  origin  and  progress,  their  discourage- 
ments and  hopes,  their  trials  and  triumphs.  Like  the  village 
and  county,  they  have  grown  and  prospered  under  the 
affection  and  energy  of  the  people  and  the  press,  until  they 
are  covered  with  grateful  and  tender  recollections.  With 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL.  85 

the  Fredonia  schools  of  to-day,  I  am  better  acquainted.  I 
cannot  compare  them  with  the  past;  but,  if  they  are  in  any 
degree  superior,  it  is  not  because  we  of  to-day  are  more  wise 
or  competent  than  those  who  preceded  us;  but  it  is  simply 
because  the  world  turns  round.  The  revolution  is  slow, 
but  the  sun  of  intelligence  rises  higher.  Fifty  years  ago,  it 
gilded  only  a  few  of  the  highest  peaks;  now,  many  of  the 
lower  ones  are  flooded  with  its  light.  True,  the  towering 
mountains  of  the  East  still  cast  their  shadows  upon  us,  they 
are  not  baleful,  however,  but  rather  like  "The  shadows  of  a 
great  rock  in  a  weary  land."  The  Western  hills  turn  their 
illuminated  sides  toward  us,  and  light  up  our  horizon  with 
many  a  brilliant  and  warming  ray.  Yes,  the  "world  turns 
round"  and  Fredonia  turns  with  it.  'Tis  your  unparalleled 
liberality  and  your  enlightened  and  high  toned  Press  which 
have  made  your  schools  what  they  are.  Since  I  have  been 
amongst  you,  the  Fredonia  Normal  School  has  received  the 
hearty  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  both  the  people  and 
the  Press.  I  thank  the  Fredonia  people;  I  thank  the  Fre- 
donia Press. 


The  Press  of  Fredonia  has  gained  its  influence  by  truth, 
and  honor,  and  integrity.  These  are  the  bases  of  enduring 
influence.  When  these  fail,  confidence  goes  with  them. 

May  the  Fredonia  Press  never  be  degraded  by  advocating 
corruption  and  lies;  but,  rather  may  it  continue  to  develop 
those  qualities  which  will  make  its  career  in  the  future  even 
more  glorious  than  that  of  the  past. 

Next  sentiment: 

Agriculture — the  foundation  interest  in  political  economy, 
and  the  primary-  source  of  wealth. 

The  following  is  a  portion  of  Mr.  A.  S.  Moss'  response. 

A  glance  at  the  whitened  locks  around  this  festive  board, 
tells  me  there  are  those  here  who  have  a  distinct  recollection 
of  fifty  years  ago,  when  a  strictly  agricultural  paper  \\;> 
scarcely  known.  More  was.  known  about  the  press  of 
agriculture,  than  the  "agricultural  press."  To  hew  down 
the  forests,  to  grow  food  for  the  hungry,  was  of  greater 
importance  than  to  tell  "What  I  know  of  Farming." 

To-day  the  best  men  of  the  best  talent  are  proud  to  be 
among  the  advocates  and  exponents  of  Agricultural  science 
and  progress.  Though  Liebeg  and  Lawes  may  stand 
pre-eminent,  there  are  scores  and  hundreds  in  the  old  world 


£6  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES 

and  new,  with  giant  intellects  and  modern  lore,  giving  all' 
their  energies  to  the  development  of  agriculture.  And  well 
they  may.  Where,  we  ask,  in  all  the  range  of  science  is 
there  so  vast  a  field,  one  so  unexplored,  one  that  so  deeply 
interests  the  teeming  millions  ? 

Perhaps  I  ought  not  detain  you  any  longer,  and  yet  I 
desire  to  allude  briefly  to  the  changes  the  introduction  of 
machinery  has  made  in  the  house  and  on  the  farm. 

That  song  of  '  'stitch,  stitch, ' '  which  used  so  much  to 
excite  our  sympathies,  is  about  annihilated  with  one  of  Singer '  & 
best.  The  old  scythe  and  sickle  are  supplanted  by  the 
mower  and  reaper,  the  old  flail,  sometimes  called  "poverty 
maul,"  by  the  thresher;  but  time  will  fail  us,  and  we  will 
only  say,  great  are  the  changes  in  all  departments  of  industry 
within  the  memory  of  many  of  you  here  to-night,  and  none 
have  greater  reason  to  be  proud  of  their  improvements  than 
the  Agriculturists.  We  give  credit  to  the  press  for  a  good 
share  of  these  honors.  It  gives  wings  to  science  and 
knowledge:  and  when  once  on  the  wing  they  encircle  the 
•world. 

I  give  as  a  sentiment:  "The  Press  and  Plow — Twin 
Sisters  and  Handmaids  to  progress  and  civilization." 

Hon.  Li.  Morris  presented  the  following,  to  which  he 
would  have  responded  had  time  permitted: 

Our  Host,  Willard  McKinstry,  Esq. — the  successor  of  a 
pioneer,  the  pioneer  of  his  own  success;  may  he  long  live  to 
pioneer  his  own  prospective  successor,  and  grace  the 
centennial  anniversary  of  the  Fredonia  Censor  to  be  given 
in  his  honor,  as  he  now  gives  this,  in  prodigal  bounty,  in 
honor  of  its  respected  founder. 


Our  late  civil  war.  While  we  honor  living  heroes,  mourn 
those  fallen  in  battle,  and  rejoice  in  our  success,  let  us 
cultivate  charity,  respect  and  kindness  for  our  Southern 
brethren,  and  when  they  come  among  us,  hail  them  as 
friends  sadly  alienated  for  a  time,  but  now  happily  re- 
united. 

Responded  to  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Fradenburgh  and  Rev.  W. 
L.  Hyde,  Chaplain  of  the  ii2th  N.  Y.  V.  The  speeches  of 
both  were  eloquent. 

It  was  about  one  o'clock  a.  m.  when  Mr.  Risley  an- 
nounced the  closing  sentiment  as  follows: 


UENSOR   SEMI-CENTEXXIAX.  $7 

*'We  have  now,  fellow  citizens,  reached  the  hour  for  timely 
separation.  We  have  enjoyed  an  evening  of  genial  fellow- 
ship long  to  be  remembered.  We  shall  part  I  trust  with 
tender  regrets,  mutual  good  wishes  and,  each  for  the  other, 
an  affectionate  farewell;  and  we  shall  cherish  in  grateful 
remembrance  the  generous  and  deserving  friend  to  whom 
we  are  indebted  for  this  handsome  entertainments 

"The  character  and  life  of  a  good  and  virtuous  citizen, 
whether  his  calling  be  humble  or  exalted,  is  properly  held 
a  public  benefaction;  and  when  that  character  and  life  are 
long  conspiciously  before  the  people  in  arduous  and  success- 
ful labor  for  their  weal  and  advancement,  standing  the 
severe  ordeal  unquestioned  and  without  reproach,  we  may 
well  cherish  them  as  a  precious  boon,  worthy  of  all  honor 
and  reward.  And  such  a  character  and  life  you  will  with 
one  accord  ascribe  to  the  present  proprietor  of  the  Censoi . 

"I  therefore  submit  for  your  cordial  approval,  this  con- 
cluding sentiment: 

Willard  McKinstry — an  upright  citizen — a  capable  editor, 
a  candid,  judicious,  reliable  man." 

Mr.  McKinstry  in  reply  to  this  sentiment  spoke  sub- 
stantially  as  follows: 

It  is  highly  gratifying  to  me  to  see  so  manv  of  the  former 
and  present  patrons  of  the  Censor  present.  About  twenty- 
nine  years  ago  I  came  to  this  village  among  strangers,  in- 
experienced in  the  work  of  conducting  a  newspaper.  It  was 
the  height  of  my  ambition  that  the  Censor  should  maintain 
the  high  standing  which  the  Nestor  of  the  press  of  this 
county  in  whose  honor  we  are  assembled,  had  given  it. 
How  far  I  have  come  short  of  my  early  aspirations  it  is  now 
useless  to  regret.  Suffice  to  say  that  in  my  early  struggles 
the  people  here  have  been  forbearing  and  kind,  and  all  the 
success  which  I  have  attained  is  due  to  their  and  your 
kindness  and  substantial  support.  I  came  among  you  with 
many  misgivings,  often  overburdened  with  fear  and 
perplexities  incident  to  the  discharge  of  the  responsible 
duties  I  had  ventured  to  assume.  You  have  borne  with 
my  inexperience,  overlooked  my  many  short  comings,  and 
are  now  witnesses  as  to  my  faithfulness  to  the  trust  which 


88  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

I  with  so  much   hesitancy  assumed.     I    feel,  however,  that 
you  have  complimented  me  more  highly  than  I  deserve. 

A  new  generation  has  grown  up  since  I  pitched  my  tent 
in  this  pleasant  village.  It  is  gratifying  to  me  to  see  the 
same  kindly  feelings  toward  the  publisher  of  the  paper  that 
your  fathers  and  predecessors  manifested.  I  feel  oppressed 
with  a  sense  of  gratitude  for  the  continued  faithfulness  of 
numerous  friends  during  the  nearly  tricennial  period  of  my 
connection  with  the  Censor. 

None  but  those  who  have  had  experience  can  realize  the 
struggles  necessary  to  commence  the  publication  of  a  paper 
in  an  undeveloped  section  of  the  country.  The  fact  that 
more  than  sixty  papers  have  been  started  in  the  county 
since  its  organization,  of  which  only  nine  now  remain,  will 
illustrate  the  enterprise,  perseverance  and  sacrifice  necessary 
to  a  continued  newspaper  publication  during  a  half  century. 
The  reminiscences  of  blasted  hopes  and  the  wrecks  of 
meagre  fortunes  may  be  recalled  in  every  portion  of  our  county. 

The  Censor  is  the  oldest  survivor,  and  Mr.  Frisbee  the 
oldest  editor  now  living,  of  all  those  who  have  aspired  to 
the  editorial  chair  in  this  county.  A  kind  Providence  has 
preserved  him  to  survive  nearly  all  his  early  patrons.  As 
he  looks  over  ihis  assembly  of  present  subscribers  and  sees 
how  few  of  those  who  welcomed  the  first  paper  to  their 
homes  and  firesides,  and  him  to  his  life  of  toil  and  struggle 
to  found  and  perpetuate  the  paper  of  a  half  century 
existence,  he  and  we  are  forcibly  reminded  that  time  is 
short,  and  that  the  great  proof  reader  will  soon  revise  our 
work. 

Even  during  the  time  I  have  spent  here  great  changes 
have  been  witnessed.  Only  Mr.  L.  B.  Qrant,  of  all  those 
who  were  in  mercantile  business  at  that  time,  remains  in 
trade  now.  Many  of  the  firm  supporters  of  my  efforts  to 
publish  the  Censor  have  passed  away.  Memory  gratefully 
recalls  the  friendships  of  the  Risley  brothers,  Gen.  Barker, 
A.  H.  Walker,  John  L,amson  and  others,  who  encouraged 
me  when  desponding,  endorsed  my  otherwise  unavailable 
paper  for  discount,  gave  me  wholesome  counsels  and  succored 
me  when  in  trial  and  adversity.  When  I  forget  their  kind- 
ness, "may  my  right  hand  forget  its  cunning." 

My  friends,  the  comparatively  few  who  remain  of  the 
efficient  supporters  of  the  Censor when  I  came  to  your  midst, 
and  the  still  smaller  number  living  whose  patronage  enabled 


CENSOR   SEMI-CENTENNIAL. 


89 


my  worthy  predecessor  to  found  and   perpetuate  it,  reminds 
us  that  we,  too,  are  mortal.     That 

"Time  is  fleeting, 
And  our  hearts,  though  strong  and  brave. 

Still,  like  muffled  drums  are  beating 
Funeral  marches  to  the  grave." 

In  the  discharge  of  my  duties  as  publisher  of  the  Censor, 
I  have  often  required  your  forbearance.  I  could  not  hope 
to  please  all  and  have  not  tried  to  do  so.  I  have  endeavored 
to  do  my  duty,  and  to  prove  faithful  to  my  trust.  How  far 
I  have  succeeded  I  leave  to  the  indulgent  readers  and 
patrons  of  the  paper  to  judge. 

I  feel  flattered  by  the  complimentary  manner  in  which 
my  name  has  been  presented.  I  only  wish  that  it  was  more 
deserved.  But  the  past  is  already  on  record,  and  the  im- 
pression once  given  by  the  type  cannot  be  recalled. 

With  a  heart  overflowing  with  gratitude  to  you  for  your 
kindness,  to  me  and  mine,  during  the  years  I  have  spent 
among  you,  and  with  a  heartfelt  desire  for  your  future 
prosperity  and  happiness,  I  bid  you  all  good-night. 


Representation  of  the  printing  press  on  which  the  Censor  was 
first  printed  when  founded  in  1821.  It  is  like  the  press  that  Ben- 
jamin Franklin  worked  with  in  London. 


90  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 


THE  OLD  SETTLERS'  REUNION. 


[There  was  a  large  gathering  of  the  old  settlers  of  Chautauqua 
County  at  Fredonia,  June  u,  1873,  about  seventy  years  after  the 
birth  of  the  first  white  child  in  the  county.  The  following  is  the 
editorial  succeeding  their  gathering,  taken  from  the  Censor  of  June 
18,  1873:] 

No  more  delightful  gathering  has  ever  been  had  in  the 
county  than  that  held  on  Wednesday  last,  to  do  honor  to 
the  early  settlers  who  remain  to  participate  in  the  festivities 
and  reminiscences  of  the  occasion.  With  four  nonogen- 
arians,  46  of  those  who  had  passed  four  score  years  and 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  who  had  passed  three  score 
years  and  ten,  some  of  whom  came  to  this  county  and 
erected  their  rude  log  cabins  in  the  wilderness,  when  it 
comprised  a  single  township  of  Genesee  county,  there  was  a 
venerable  appearance  to  the  assembly  never  witnessed  in 
any  other  kind  of  gathering.  It  was  a  reunion  of  those  who 
in  youthful  vigor  'had  felled  the  trees,  some  to  build  their 
houses,  cleared  a  small  patch  of  ground  for  cultivation,  and 
raised  their  families  amid  the  wilds  of  the  forest.  Here 
they  met  to  renew  their  old  acquaintances,  some  of  whom 
had  not  seen  each  other  for  many  long  years.  The  jet 
black  hair  of  youth  had  passed  away,  and  the  white  hair  of 
old  age  now  crowned  their  venerable  heads.  Here  they 
partook  of  the  good  cheer  which  returned  their  youth,  and 
they  were  again  lads  and  lassies  together.  True  they  had 
not  the  elastic  step  which  they  had  when  they  got  together 
more  than  half  a  century  ago  to  assist  each  other  in  erecting 
their  log  houses;  but  in  their  feelings  of  jo3^fulness  in  the 
reunion  they  held  all  the  vivacity  of  their  earlier  days,  when 
the  gallant  youth  politely  took  the  blushing  maiden  behind 
him  on  horse-back  to  attend  the  social  festival,  perhaps 
miles  away  through  the  woods,  at  the  house  of  some 
hospitable  neighbor.  Most  joyfully  they  recounted  the 


OLD  SETTLERS'  REUNION.  91 

scenes  of  olden  times,  their  hardships  and  sufferings,  but 
withal  the  gay  times  they  had  when  with  health  and  hope 
they  laid  the  foundations  of  our  peerless  county,  where  more 
than  60,000  people  now  enjoy  the  blessings  conferred 
through  their  early  labors  and  privations. 

Well  might  the  present  generation  do  honor  to  these 
venerable  men,  and  regard  no  effort  too  great  to  show  the 
debt  of  gratitude  due  to  them. 

Prominent  among  the  guests  was  the  venerable  Judge 
Foote,  who  came  from  New  Haven  to  this  reunion.  He  has 
truly  said  that  he  resides  at  New  Haven  but  lives  in  Chau- 
tauqua  Co.  No  man  living  has  been  so  laborious  in  pre- 
serving the  record  of  early  times,  as  the  files  of  the  CENSOR 
will  show,  and  the  examination  of  the  documents  he  has 
preserved  showed  that  he  had  been  very  assiduous  in  his 
labors.  The  older  the  county  becomes  the  more  valuable 
are  his  records.  A  debt  of  gratitude  is  due  him  which  the 
present  and  coming  generations  will  not  be  able  to  repay. 
May  he  be  present  at  many  more  reunions. 

"Those  who  make  history  seldom  write  it."  How  true 
this  is  of  the  old  settlers  of  our  county.  Their  deeds  will 
go  down  to  posterity,  but  who  shall  record  them,  so  that 
those  who  come  after  will  know  to  whom  they  are  so  greatly 
indebted  for  the  foundation  of  our  prosperity  ?  Happily 
these  reunions  will  enable  the  press  to  preserve  this  valuable 
history  to  future  generations. 

May  there  be  many  more  such  reunions,  and  may  Heaven 
bless  the  good  old  pioneers  with  health  and  strength  to  meet 
again  the  friends  of  their  youth  on  such  joyful  occasions  for 
years  to  come. 

ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME  BY  ADDISON  C.  GUSHING,  PRESIDENT 
OF  THE  VILLAGE. 

If  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  tongue  always 
found  utterance,  I  might  hope  that  my  lips  on  this  occasion 
would  be  touched  with  a  little  of  that  inspiration,  flowing 
from  earnest  and  profound  feeling,  which  sometimes  lends 
eloquence  to  those  who,  like  myself,  possess  neither  utterance 
nor  the  power  of  speech. 

Friends  of  to-day,  friends  of  former  years,  friends  whose 


$2  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

venerable  heads  are  now  white  with  the  snows  of  more  than 
seventy  winters,  friends  who  have  clasped  hands  in  genial, 
companionship  with  our  fathers,  we  bid  you  welcome  here 
to-day.  If  but  few  of  those  who  started  with  you  on  the 
march  of  life  are  left  to  extend  their  hearty  greeting,  we, 
their  descendants,  wrho  stand  in  their  places,  receive  you  to 
our  homes  and  our  hearts  with  grateful  recognition,  as  the 
representatives  of  a  generation  whose  hardy  virtues,  courage 
and  endurance  laid  the  foundation  of  all  the  advantages,  all 
the  prosperity  we  now  enjoy.  It  is  the  seed  sown  by  your 
hands  in  the  solitudes  of  the  forest  amid  hardships,  privation 
and  toil,  which  we  reap  in  the  glorious  harvest  of  a  high 
cultivation,  surrounded  by  its  comforts,  its  luxuries,  and  its 
refinements. 

And  an  honorable  welcome,  a  welcome  tender,  kind  and 
true  as  their  own  brave,  loving  hearts,  to  the  noble  women, 
who  in  those  early  years,  stood  side  by  side  with  husbands, 
brothers  and  sons,  sharing  their  hardships  and  ligntening 
their  toils  with  pleasant  smiles  and  encouraging  words — 
women  as  heroic  and  self-sacrificing  as  those  whom  poets 
and  historians  have  made  immortal,  although  their  virtues 
are  written  only  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  love  them. 

Some  of  you  present  to-day  have  wit  jessed  the  wonder- 
ful transformation  which,  within  the  alloted  time  of  man's 
existence,  has  changed  the  whole  face  of  the  county.  You 
retain  vivid  recollections  of  the  early  homes  of  the  pioneers, 
and  of  the  struggles  and  privations  they  endured.  You  also 
have  pleasant  remembrances  of  happy  days  and  the  warm 
friendship  existing  between  neighbors,  though  living  miles 
apart,  and  making  visits  through  the  woods  with  ox-teams 
over  roads  marked  only  by  blazed  trees — softer  memories  of 
quilting  frolics  where  they  ate  pumpkin  pie  and  doughnuts, 
and  "courted  their  sweethearts — pretty  girls — just  fifty  years 
ago."  But  many  of  your  number  have  not  been  spared  to 
note  the  march  of  improvement  which  has  caused  the 
"wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  to  rejoice  and  blossom  as 
the  rose;"  has  tracked  the  once  pathless  forest  with  roads  on 
which  the  iron  horse  obliterates  distance;  has  raised  beautiful 
temples  to  the  living  God,  where  once  stood  the  humble 
meeting-house  of  the  early  worshipers;  has  built  costly 
edifices  of  learning,  the  elegance  of  the  structures  only 
inferior  to  the  grandeur  of  the  objects  to  which  they  are 
dedicated;  has  peopled  the  county  with  a  busy  and 
prosperous  population;  has  dotted  it  with  thriving  towns 
and  villages,  the  seats  of  wealth  with  all  its  attendant 
luxuries  and  elegance;  has  broken  the  silence  of  the 


OLD  SETTLERS'  REUNION.  93 

solitudes  with  the  ceaseless  roar  of  machinery,  the   blast  of 
the  furnace,  and  the  hundred  inventions  of  science  and  art. 

Yes,  my  friends,  we  are  proud  of  our  old  Chautauqua.  Her 
hills  and  plains  are  dear  to  us.  We  love  her  clear  lakes  and 
sparkling  rivulets.  Generous  nature  has  indeed  been 
bountiful,  and  we  feel  that  our  "lines  have  fallen  in 
pleasant  places."  We  modestly  exult  in  the  high  character 
for  intelligence  and  enterprise  borne  by  her  people.  Nor  in 
looking  over  the  long  list  of  names  made  prominent  in  our 
country 's  history,  need  we  blush  for  the  place  held  there  by 
Chautauqua  county.  Amid  that  array,  in  positions  of  high 
trust  and  responsibility,  stand  honorably  conspicuous  many 
of  her  citizens.  Of  offices  of  highest  dignity  and  honor 
bestowed  by  our  State,  she  holds  a  full  and  worthy  share. 
Soms  of  her  sons  have  been  called  to  fill  high  and  exalted 
positions  in  the  councils  and  conduct  of  national  affairs. 
She  claims  as  hers  the  venerated  names  of  some,  who,  having 
dropped  the  harness  of  earthly  toil,  now  rest  from  their 
labors  and  sleep  in  honored  and  honorable  repose. 

We  are  assembled  to-day  in  commemoration  of  the 
merits  and  memories  of  these  and  such  as  these,  the  early 
founders  cf  our  county,  to  whose  firm  courage,  perseverance 
and  energy  we  owe,  under  God,  all  the  blessings  with  which 
we  are  so  richly  endowed.  To  our  departed 

pioneer  heroes  we  render  not  worship,  but  the  affectionate 
remembrance  and  profound  veneration  which  their  merits 
and  our  deep  obligations  demand.  To  the  veteran  band, 
whom  it  is  our  privilege  still  to  retain  in  our  midst,  we  can 
only  say,  that  the  tribute  of  applause  and  grateful  respect 
which  we  tender  to  them  and  to  their  departed  companions 
in  the  perils  and  hardships  of  pioneer  life,  flows  straight 
from  earnest  hearts,  and  is  the  utterance  of  honest  lips. 

The  establishment  of  an  annual  festival,  which  shall 
call  friends  together  in  hospitable  and  pleasant  reunion,  we 
conceive  to  be  a  happy  idea,  and  a  laudable  attempt  to  keep 
bright  the  links  of  social  intercourse  between  those  who 
once  may  have  been  close  companions,  or  old  neighbors,  but 
are  now  sundered  by  the  changes  of  time  and  circumstance. 
Each  passing  year,  we  trust,  shall  again  bring  us  together, 
at  the  period  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Annual  Festival,  and 
tighten  the  bands  of  good  fellowship  and  unity.  Like  the 
patriarchs  of  old,  we  will  spread  our  yearly  "feast  of  fat 
things,"  and,  with  old  friends  and  neighbors,  drink  "the 
wine  of  gladness. ' ' 


EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 


THE  OLD  SETTLER'S  LETTER. 


[Written  for  their  gathering  in  Fredonia,  June  n.  1873,  by  Miss 
Helen  Morton,  a  compositor  in  the  Censor  office,  and  a  daughter  of 
an  old  settler.] 


I've  wandered  through  Chautauqua,  Jim,  I've  been  where  stood 

ths  tres, 

That  in  the  days  of  long  ago,  oft  sheltered  you  and  me; 
But  few  were  left  to  greet  me,  Jim,  and  few  on  earth  remain — 
Yes,    fewer  than   the  grand   old  trees-  once  covering   hill   and 

plain — 
Are  the  dear  forms  we  learned   to  love  here  on   Chautauqua' s 

soil, 

Whose  sympathies  alike  were  ours  in  pleasure,  grief,  and  toil. 
Chautauqua's  just  as  lovely,  Jim,  ah,  lovelier  too,  I  ween, 
Than  when  We  first  pronounced  it  fair, — fairer  than  we   had 

seen. 

And  what  a  change  !  'tis  greater  far,  than  we  can  comprehend; 
Beyond  the  pictures  of  t  >-day  that  fancy  used  to  lend, 
When  we  sat  down  to  think  and  talk  in  our  new  settler's  home, 
Of  what  this  country  might  be,  Jim,  in  the   long  years  to  come. 
For  we  were  pioneers  then,  just  from  the  old  Bay  State; 
We  left  the  old  folks  watching  us  beside  the  old  farm  gate, 
But  bye  and  bye,  they  too,  set  out,  the  long,  slow  march  to  take, 
And  "came  out  west  to   die,"  they  said,  "just  for  the  children's 

sake." 
We  pitched  our  tents  here  side  by  side,  .o'erlooking   Erie's 

breast, 
And  thought  to  spend   our  days  here,  Jim,  and  go  no   farther 

west; 
And  Heaven  was  kind  and  prospered  us;  we  had  our  ups  and 

downs, 
And  fortune's  share   of   smiles  for   us  was  interspersed    with 

frowns. 

We  did  not  have  our  coffers  then  filled  yearly  to  the  brim, 
Somehow  we  didn't  need  so  much  as  folks  do  nowdays,  Jim, 
For  people  did  not  live  so  fast  in  good  old-fashioned  days,    . 
And  for  their  money  didn't  have  so  many  thousand  ways. 
Our  young  folks  little  know,    to-day,    what  toil   or  hardship 

means — 


OLX>   SETTLERS1    REUNION.  95 

Compared  with   we  old  settlers,  Jim;  we've  been    behind    the 

scenes. 

We  struggled  on  when  times  were  hard,  and  yearly,  as  a  rule, 
Contrived   to  spare  some  time  and  means  to  get  the  boys  in 

school; 

For  often  we  lamented  that  in  old  New  England,  Jim, 
Our  chances  for  book-learning  there,  alas  !  were  rather  slim. 
The  old  Academy  still  stands,    where  we  our  children  sent. 
And  where  upon  commencement  day,  we  country  patroiis  went. 
Well,  when  our  boys  were  grown-up  men,  the  spirit  of  unrest 
They  caught,  as  we  before  them  did,  and  settled  in  the  west, 
And  so  in  time  we  followed  on,  our  farewells  loth  to  take, 
And  once  more  we  were  pioneers,  "just  for  the  children's  sake." 
Since   then   we've  had  a  war,  you   know  rebellion  dark  and 

deep, — 

For  four  long  years  the  contest  was,  which  made  a  nation  weep, 
It  slew  an  army  of  brave  boys,  and  with  them  yours  and  mine 
Laid  early  in  the  sacrifice  their  lives  on  freedom's  shrine. 
Some  breathed   their  last  on  battle  fields — no  friend  or  kindred 

nigh, 
And  some  were  maimed  forever,  Jim,  and  some   brought  home 

to  die. 

Others  in  army  hospitals  were  dying  sure  but  slow. 
While   some  in   rebel  prison   pens  were  starved  to   death,  you 

know. 
Ah  !  well !  we   could  not  know  that  God    our  prayers  would 

answer  thus, 

That  slavery  in  its  fearful  death  would  come  so  near  to  us. 
Our  flag  ?  new  glory  gilds  the  stars  upon  a  field  of  blue, 
The  stripes — baptized  in  martyrs'  blood,  wear  deeper  crimson 

hue. 

And  we  rejoice  in  our  old  age  that  we  have  lived  to  see 
Columbia's  banner  o'er  a  land  from  dread  oppression  free. 
But  to  return:   my  con. ing  here — the  time  how  opportune  ! 
The  gathering  of  Old  Settlers  of  Chautauqua,  here  in  June  ! 
Fredonia  ! — lovely,  charming  town,  the  pioneers'  just  pride — 
Her  every  home,  and   heart,  and  hand,  and  purse  were   opened 

wide 

To  give  the  settlers  welcome,  Jim,  in  every  place  and  way, 
To  make  the  old  foltcs  young  again,  just  for  a  night  and  day. 
On  ample  tables  long  and  broad,  a  sumptuous  feast  was  spread, 
And  with  the  modern  dainties  there,  were  loaves  cf  "mother's 

bread." 
The  food  was  served  on  old-time  wares  with  handles  quaint  and 

lid, 


6  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

To  make   the  place  look   home-like,  Jim,  as  mother's  kitchen 

did. 

And  if  these  relics  gave  us  power  the  old  times  to  recall, 
Much  more  did  ancient  ornaments  displayed  in  Union  Hall. 
In  vases  of  the  olden  time  were  flowers  our  country  maids 
On  summer  evenings  long  ago  twined  in  their  curls  and  braids. 
Old  fashioned  blossoms  small,  but  sweet,  were  gathered  with 

the  rest. 

Like  those  worn  in  the  button-holes  of  our  old-fashioned  vest. 
With  these,  have  you  forgotten,  Jim,  how  grand  we  were,  and 

gay, 

To  have  a  shilling  all  our  own  on  General  Training  day  ? 
Or,  with  our  sweethearts — pretty  girls,  we  wandered  'neath  the 

stars, 
And   parted   slowly  at  the  stile,    or    "kissed   'em    through  the 

bars?" 

And  when  beneath  the  old.  home  roof  we  wed  our  bonny  bride, 
We  didn't  sail  for  Europe,  Jim,  we  took  a  horse  back  ride. 
It's  done  my  old  eyes  good  to  see,  as  well  as  heart  to  hear, 
The  smiles  of  joy  that  greeted  me,  the  words  of  hearty  cheer. 
Then,  too,    at  eve   those  dear  old  hymns  and  melodies  were 

sung— 

The  very  words  we  sang  ourselves,  when  you  and  I  were  young. 
There  was  a  time,  I'd  blush  to  weep,  so  womanish  !  and  weak  ! 
But  something, — something  from  my  eye  came  stealing  down 

my  cheek; 
Ah  !  'twas  a  tear-drop,    not  just  one,  there  came  a  shower   of 

tears, 

And  mirrored  in  the  liquid  gems  I  saw  the  long  gone  years; 
A  hundred  recollections,  Jim,  seemed  forming  into  line, 
A  hundred  strange  emotions  felt,  I  cannot  well  define; 
I  thought  ot  all   the  hopes  and  joys  of  youth's  glad  morning 

brief, 

Their  memory  filled  my  spirit  with  a  kind  of  nameless  grief; 
I  thought  of  those  we  hope  to  meet  in  that  "sweet  bye  and  bye," 
Where  we  shall  never  weary  be,  and  ne'er  grow  old  and  die. 
It  can't  be  very  distant  now,  my  senses  fail  me,  Jim, 
I  scarce  can  find  familiar  texts  or  read  my  favorite  hymn; 
I  love  to  think  life's  blessings.o'er,  not  far  between  nor  few, 
And  one  is,  Jim,  with   all  the  change   I've  found  no   change  in 

you. 
We've  entered   on    life's  winter  and  when   dawns    immortal 

spring, 
We'll  join  the  glad  reunion  of  the  children  of  the  King. 


TRIBUTE   TO  WILLIAM   H.  SEWARTX  97 


TRIBUTE  TO  WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD. 


Hon.  Orson  Stiles  at  the  Old  Settler's  Gathering  gave  the 
following  worthy  tribute  to  his  friend  Mr.  Seward,  who  was 
elected  Governor  of  this  State  while  a  resident  of  this  county 
in  1838 : 

I  wish  to  say  a  single  word  of  Willard  H.  Seward  and  his 
connection  with  this  county.  He  came  into  it  in  '36  and 
when  it  was,  in  point  of  material  prosperit)',  in  its  infancy, 
or  at  least  in  its  early  childhood,  and  just  at  that  time  when 
it  required  just  such  a  man  with  just  such  a  head  and  just 
such  a  heart  to  open  to  the  county  its  great  future  and  to 
make  that  future  great.  Any  man  with  his  great  gifts  will 
give  character  to  the  people  with  whom  he  associates  and 
that  too  in  ordinary  times.  But  coming  here  as  he  did 
when  there  was  an  exceedingly  strong  feeling  of  unrest  and 
disquiet  resulting  in  absolute  violence  amongst  the  settlers 
upon  the  Holland  purchase  it  gave  him  unusual  opportunities 
to  exercise  those  qualities  of  character  which  he  possessed 
in,  I  think,  a  higher  degree  than  any  man  who  ever  resided 
in  our  county.  You  all  know  how  readily  he  reduced  the 
troubled  waters  of  public  feeling  to  a  dead  calm  and  with 
feelings  of  gratitude  the  people  responded  to  his  efforts  to 
substitute  equity  for  law,  and  to  assure  settlers  that  their 
rights  should  be  fully  protected  and  their  homes  preserved; 
and  many  a  family  of  Chautauqua  county  has  been  made 
happy  and  wealthy  by  this  timely  interference  with  the 
rough  statutes  by  Mr.  Seward.  It  was  the  first  assertion  of 
his  higher  law  sentiments,  and  to  this  assertion  the  people 
all  responded  amen. 

And  then  his  ideas  upon  the  subject  of  internal  improve- 
ments and  general  education  and  his  great  ability  in  present- 
ing them  to  the  public  mind  at  once  gave  him  position  with 
the  people  of  the  whole  state  and  placed  him  where  he  could 
put  into  actual  practice  his  theories  upon  this  subject.  And 
there  is  no  doubt  that  Chautauqua  county  is  occupying  her 
prominent  position  to-day  amongst  the  sisterhood  of  counties 
because  of  his  ideas  and  their  practial  illustrations.  The 


98  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

railroads  which  to-day  cross  our  county  in  every  direction, 
whistling  upon  every  hill-top  and  screaming  in  every  valley 
date  back  to  .this  influence,  and  that  state  munificence 
which  completed  the  N.  Y.  &  E.  road  begat  the  spirit  which 
constructed  these. 

And  although  he  came  into  active  life  through  all  the 
schools,  and  although  he  enjoyed  thereafter  all  possible 
opportunities  for  cultivation,  never  would  he  smother  an 
idea  in  a  flourish  of  rhetoric  for  a  rounded  sentence,  but 
plain  truth  in  plain  language,  that  was  his  logic,  that  was 
the  secret  of  his  success.  He  knew  too  well  that  '  'while 
wit  may  please  and  buffoonry  may  excite  ridicule  and 
laughter,  it  is  the  plain  and  simple  gospel  alone  that  will 
shake  the  citadel  of  the  heart."  I  admit  he  was  guilty  of 
the  weakness  of  ambition,  and  who  is  not  ?  and  yet  at  that 
point  in  his  life  when  the  political  sign  seemed  to  indicate 
him  as  the  coming  president  he  showed  himself  entirely 
equal  to  the  great  disappointment,  and  in  a  series  of  political 
speeches  which  few  men  under  the  circumstances  would 
make,  and  none  could  make,  he  vindicated  his  own  claims 
to  the  gratitude  of  his  country  and  the  principles  of  the 
party  which  was  born  of  his  loins.  I  speak  of  this  as  the 
evidence  of  his  greatness,  for  how  many  of  the  great  men 
have  fallen  here.  His  successful  rival  appreciated  the  value 
of  his  services  and  signified  his  appreciation  by  appointing 
him  to  the  most  important  position  in  his  cabinet.  How  the 
duties  of  that  place  were  discharged  you  all  know  well  and 
all  the  governments  of  the  world  know  it  well. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  Mr.  Seward  at  the  time  of  his  death 
was  the  best  informed  man  living.  I  assent  that  this  is 
claiming  very  much  for  him,  and  yet  the  reader  of  his 
travels  round  the  world  will  be  surprised  to  find  his  perfect 
knowledge  of  all  the  people  and  all  the  governments  under 
the  sun,  and  indeed  many  of  them  could  learn  of  him  their 
past  history,  their  present  condition  and  their  probable 
future.  We  may  look  upon  his  like  again,  but  we  cannot 
do  it  to-day;  discharging  every  duty  of  life  faithfully  and 
well  and  making  for  himself  a  name  which  cannot  die  he 
has  gone  up  to  enjoy  the  Christian's  rewards  and  the 
Christian's  rest  for  I  adopt  the  utterance  of  one  of  village 
pulpits  the  '  'Christian  is  Christlike,  the  Christian  is  a  man. 


MEMORIAL   OF   HANSON   A.  RISLEY.  99 


MEMORIAL  OF  HANSON  A.  RISLEY. 


[Died,  in  West  Newton,  Mass.,  Aug.  23,  1893,  Hanson  A.  Risley, 
a  native  of  Fredonia,  in  his  8oth  year.  The  following  memorial 
tribute  is  from  the  Censor  of  Sept.  6,  1893:] 

The  news  of  the  death  of  Hon.  Hanson  A.  Risley  cast  a 
gloom  over  our  village  where  he  was  born,  and  was  held  in 
the  highest  esteem  during  his  long  and  useful  life,  the  early 
r  art  of  which  was  spent  in  our  midst.  He  was  greatly 
attached  to  his  native  village,  and  in  his  later  years  hoped 
to  spend  his  old  age  among  these  scenes  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth. 

Mr.  Risley  was  of  noble  pioneer  stock.  His  grandfather, 
Elijah  Risley,  senior,  came  to  Fredonia,  then  Canadaway, 
in  1807,  when  the  whole  county  was  a  township  of  Genesee 
county,  and  the  County  seat  was  at  Batavia.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  revolutionary  war,  and  a  pensioner  till  the 
close  of  his  life.  Gen.  Elijah  Risley  junior,  the  father, 
came  here  when  about  twenty  years  of  age,  and  commenced 
in  mercantile  business  in  1808,  perhaps  the  earliest 
merchant  in  the  county.  He  was  sheriff  three  years,  from 
1824  to  1827,  and  in  1848  was  elected  Representative  in 
Congress,  and  was  also  Major  General  of  the  State  Militia. 
In  the  early  history  of  the  N.  Y.  &  Erie  Railroad  Gen. 
Risley  was  a  director.  He  died  Jan.  10,  1870,  aged  83 
years. 

Hanson  A.  was  the  second  of  a  family  of  six  children  and 
survived  them  all  except  the  youngest.  They  \vere: 
Florilla,  who  became  the  wife  of  Chauncey  Tucker,  Hanson 
A.,  Sophronia,  wife  of  C.  F.  Matteson,  Laurens  G.,  Delia, 
wife  of  Hon.  T.  P.  Grosvenor,  and  Minerva,  widow  of 
Frank  Gushing,  Esq.  His  death  removes  the  last  of  the 
sons  in  this  once  leading  family  of  our  county. 

Hanson  A.  Risley  was  in  the  highest  type  a  perfect  gentle 
man.     His  polite  and  genial  manners,  scholarly  attainments, 


TOO  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

honorable  bearing   and  kindness  of  heart,  won    the  highest 
esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  became  associated. 

He  was  born  June  16,  1814;  was  educated  in  the  Fredonia 
Academy  and  Hamilton  College.  He  studied  law  in  the 
office  of  Judge  Mullett,  and  while  in  that  office  married  Miss 
Harriet,  daughter  of  Dr.  Orris  Crosby,  in  June,  1835.  The 
young  couple  went  to  board  at  Parson  Smith's.  The  Parson 
came  from  Auburn  and  while  there  had  married  Wm.  H, 
Seward  to  Miss  Miller.  When  Gov.  S.  came  from  Auburn 
to  Westfield  to  take  charge  of  the  L,and  office,  he  stopped  to 
visit  his  old  friend  Parson  Smith,  and  there  formed  Mr. 
Risley's  acquaintance,  and  began  a  friendship  which  lasted 
through  life.  Mr.  R.  shortly  after  commenced  the  practice 
of  law  in  the  village  of  Dunkirk,  and  was  appointed  Master 
in  Chancery. 

Miss  Crosby,  the  young  bride  who  shared  with  him  the 
struggles  and  triumphs  of  his  early  manhood,  and  was  the 
beloved  companion  of  his  maturer  years,  was  a  woman  of 
remarkable  talent  and  lovely  character.  She  died  in  Wash- 
ington, Sept.  28,  1868. 

He  was  prominently  engaged  in  the  Erie  Railroad 
enterprise  from  its  beginning,  and  when  the  road  was  opened 
through  to  Dunkirk  in  May,  1852,  he  had  charge  of  the 
ceremonies  and  entertained  Daniel  Webster  and  other 
distinguished  guests  on  that  occasion.  It  was  a  great  day 
for  Dunkirk.  Prominent  among-  the  visitors  were  Presi- 
dent Fillmore  and  many  of  his  Cabinet,  4Benj.  Loder,  Presi- 
dent 01  the  Road,  Wm.  H.  Seward,  Thurlow  Weed,  Stephen 
A.  Douglas  and  other  prominent  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
country.  Mr.  Risley  was  also  the  first  Secretary  and 
Treasurer  of  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad  when  it  was  establish- 
ed through  Dunkirk. 

In  1848,  when  his  father  was  nominated  to  Congress, 
after  several  ballots,  the  ten  Cattaraugus  delegates 
were  voting  steadily  for  a  candidate  from  that  county 
and  the  ten  Chautauqua  delegates  were  as  firm  supporters 
of  the  candidate  from  this  county.  Finally  the  dele- 
gates from  the  Western  district  of  Cattaraugus  agreed 


MEMORIAL   OF   HANSON   A.  RISLEY.  IOI 

to  unite  with  Chautanqua  and  nominate  Hanson  A.  Risle>'. 
Mr.  T.  L.  Higgins,  one  of  the  Cattaraugus  delegates,  was 
designated  to  make  the  proposition,  assuring  Mr.  R.  that 
there  was  no  doubt  of  his  nomination  and  election  if  he 
would  take  it.  He  promplly  rejected  the  proposition,  say- 
ing that  he  was  a  delegate  in  behalf  of  his  father,  and  no  in- 
ducement could  be  presented  for  him  to  change.  As  a  result 
the  father  was  nominated  and  elected.  The  dutiful  son 
went  to  Washington  with  his  father  and  gave  him  important 
assistance  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  his  father  being  in 
poor  health  at  the  time.  While  there,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Seward,  Mr.  Risley  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  U.  S. 
Supreme  Court. 

In  1855  ne  was  nominated  for  County  Clerk  and  such  was 
his  popularity  that  he  was  elected,  having  by  several 
hundred  the  highest  number  of  votes  on  the  ticket.  Only 
one  other  candidate  on  the  same  ticket  had  a  majority  of 
the  votes. 

In  1 860  he  was  elected  Clerk  of  the  Assembly  at  Albany 
and  held  the  office  one  term. 

In  1 86 1  he  was  active  in  war  work,  and  went  to  Wash- 
ington with  Capt.  Wm.  O.  Stevens,  whom  he  introduced  to 
Mr.  Seward  and  Secretary  Cameron,  and  was  instrumental 
in  getting  the  Dunkirk  companies  into  the  Excelsior  Brigade. 

In  1862  he  was  appointed  U.  S.  Consul  to  Jamaica,  an 
unsolicited  honor.  Later  in  that  year  he  was  called  to 
Washington  by  Gov.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and 
made  Special  Agent  of  the  Treasury,  a  very  important  and 
confidental  position,  which  brought  him  into  daily  and  close 
association  with  Mr.  Lincoln,  from  whom  he  received  many 
cards  and  notes  asking  him  to  come  at  once  to  the  White 
house  for  consultation.  He  was  an  invited  guest  of  Mr. 
Seward  to  the  consultation  held  at  Hampton  Roads,  between 
Lincoln,  Seward  and  Grant,  with  the  Confederate  com- 
missioners, Alex.  H.  Stevens,  Hunter  and  Campbell.  They 
sailed  down  the  Potomac  and  the  Chesapeake,"  and  up  the 
James  to  where  the  memorable  consultation  was  held. 


102  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 

During  this  interesting  period  of  the  country's  history, 
Mr.  R.  formed  many  pleasant  associations  with  the  leading 
men  of  the  times — Chase,  Fessenden,  Boutwell,  Fentonr 
Grant,  Porter,  Andrew,  Colfax,  and  many  others,  including 
his  early  friend  Wm.  P.  Mellen. 

Though  not  officially  associated  with  his  early  friend  Gov, 
S'eward,  their  warm  friendship  seemed  to  grow  with  the 
closer  association  in  their  years  of  anxiety  concerning  the 
affairs  of  the  nation  during  the  war.  The  terrible  affliction 
which  the  nation  suffered  in  the  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln 
and  the  mutilation  and  suffering  which  befel  Secretary 
Seward,  by  the  hand  of  a  would-be  assassin,  seemed  to  bind 
them  still  closer  together.  Though  ill,  Mr.  R.  was  among 
the  first  to  fly  to  the  side  of  the  wounded  secretary,  the  night 
of  the  assasination.  Mr.  Seward  was  doubly  stricken  by 
the  death  of  his  wife  and  only  daughter,  and  Mr.  Risley's 
house  became  to  the  bereaved  Statesman  a  second  home, 
where  affection  and  kindly  sympathy  did  all  that  could  be 
done  to  heal  his  wounds  and  assuage  the  grief  of  his  sad 
afflictions. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Risley's  father  and  his  wife,  shortly 
after  the  sad  events  attending  the  assassination  of  the  Presi- 
dent, made  the  long  friendship  between  him  and  Mr.  Seward 
still  closer."  The  sympathy  of  such  a  friend  in  such  a  time 
of  trial  was  most  welcome.  L,ater  on,  Mr.  Seward's  life 
seemed  to  depend  on  a  change  ol  scenes,  and  absence  from 
a  place  where  he  had  experienced  so  much  sorrow.  An 
extended  route  of  foreign  travel  was  planned,  and  for  his 
companions  on  his  long  journey  around  the  world  he  urgent- 
ly requested  the  daughters  of  Mr.  Risley,  who  was  highly 
gratified  to  have  them  go  as  a  solace  to  such  a  kind  friend. 
As  a  result  of  these  long  years  of  close  friendship,  the  elder 
daughter  assumed  the  name  of  Olive  Risley  Seward.  She 
was  his  faithful  friend,  took  the  place  of  his  lost  daughter, 
and  during  the  visit  to  foreign  lands  kept  the  record  of  the 
journey  which  was  subsequently  published  with  the  revision 
of  Mr.  Seward  as  his  trip  around  the  world. 

Mr.    Risley  married   at   Colorado  Springs  for   his  second 


MEMORIAL   OF  HANSON   A,  RISLEY.  ID^ 

wife  Miss  Elizabeth  Rogers,  of  Massachusetts,  an  excellent 
lady,  who  greatly  aided  him  during  his  infirmities  of 
declining  years. 

Mr.  Risiey  went  to  Colorado  in  1875  with  Gen.  Wm.  J. 
Palmer.  He  was  the  active  editor  of  the  Colorado  Springs 
Gazette  for  some  time,  and  during  recent  years  his  name  has 
appeared  at  the  head  of  the  paper  as  manager.  In  1878  he 
was  appointed  Solicitor  of  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  Rail- 
road, and  with  all  the  changes  in  the  company  still  con- 
tinued his  connection  for  some  years. 

The  Colorado  Springs  Gazette  thus  accurately  portrays 
our  deceased  friend's  character: 

"The  keynote  of  Mr.  Risley's  character  was  easy  to  find. 
His  nature  was  so  open,  so  frank,  his  motives  so  transparent, 
that  no  one  who  talked  with  him  for  half  an  hour  could  fail 
to  understand  his  character.  He  was  inflexibly  firm  in 
questions  of  right  and  wrong,  very  positive  in  his  convic- 
tions, but  his  prevailing  characteristic  was  kindliness,  and 
the  first  word  that  came  to  everyone's  lips  in  speaking  of 
him  was  'lovable.'  There  was  something  about  him  that 
drew  affection  irresistibly.  His  stores  of  knowledge  were 
great,  his  conversational  powers  were  remarkable,  his 
manners  were  charming;  but  beneath  and  through  all  this 
there  was  evident  a  warmth  of  feeling,  a  sympathy  with  all 
that  was  good  and  pure  and  true,  which  led  those  who 
knew  him  to  do  more  than  merely  admire  or  respect  him; 
they  loved  him. 

"He  had  lived  here  in  Colorado  Springs  for  nearly  twenty 
years,  and  everybody  knew  him.  His  loss  will  be  felt  by 
the  whole  community.  With  especial  force  it  falls  upon  us 
who  have  worked  with  him,  and  known  him  intimately  by 
daily  contact.  We  have  lost  a  fatherly  friend,  a  wise 
adviser  and  guide;  and  the  loss  cannot  be  replaced." 

Thus  passed  away  one  of  the  most  talented  and  esteemed 
gentlemen  of  the  many  who  have  gone  from  our  village  and 
achieved  distinction  in  wider  fields. 

In  youth  and  in  manhood  as  well  as  in   the  decline  of  life 


104  EDITORIAL,   MISCELLANIES. 

he  had  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  His 
talent  as  a  speaker  and  writer  was  early  developed,  and  even 
in  his  Academic  days  he  won  many  laurels  in  his  contri- 
butions to  the  literature  of  the  times.  His  Fourth  of  July 
orations  and  addresses  on  various  occasions  were  notable  for 
their  lofty  thought  and  fervent  patriotism.  His  address 
here  on  Memorial  Day,  May  30,  1869,  was  a  beautiful 
literary  gem.  His  letters  to  the  Censor,  in  which  were 
often  woven  interesting  reminiscences  of  his  early  home  and 
friends  of  long  ago,  will  be  remembered  with  much  pleasure 
by  our  readers. 

He  leaves  a  widow  and  two  daughters,  Miss  Olive  Risley 
Seward  of  Washington  and  Mrs.  Harriet  Rodman  of  Ded- 
ham,  Mass.  They  were  all  with  him  at  the  time  of  his 
death  in  West  Newton,  Mass.,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Risley's 
brother,  Aug.  23,  1893. 

It  is  sad  to  realize  that  we  shall  not  meet  our  long  time 
friend  again  upon  the  shores  of  time,  nor  receive  more  of 
his  ever  kindly  and  interesting  letters.  He  cannot  come  to 
us,  but  we  shall  all  go  to  him. 

At  the  funeral  in  Forest  Hill  cemetery,  where  he  was  laid 
beside  his  first  wife,  the  following  old  friends  acted  as 
honorary  and  active  bearers: 

From  Fredonia — Hon.  Geo.  Barker,  Hon.  L,.  Morris,  W. 
McKinstry,  O.  W.  Johnson,  Hon.  H.  C.  Lake,  Col.  D.  S. 
Forbes,  Col.  T.  L.  Higgins,  Elias  Forbes,  George  H.  White, 
Alexander  Morian,  P.  H.  Stevens  and  L^ouis  McKinstry. 

From  Dunkirk — Hon.  J.  T.  Williams,  Hon.  F.  S.  Edwards, 
Walter  C.  Smith,  Geo.  P.  Isham,  and  Maj.  C.  K.  Abell. 

Mr.  Wm.  H.  Seward  of  Auburn  would  have  been  present 
at  the  funeral,  but  lately  met  with  an  accident  in  which  he 
twisted  his  knee  badly.  He  sent  the  following  telegram; 

AUBURN,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  23,  1893. 

Miss  Olive  Risley  Seward:  Pray  accept  our  sincere  sympathy. 
Your  father's  death  removes  another  of  my  father's  most  true  and 
faithful  friends.  I  regret  that  lameness  prevents  my  attending  the 
funeral. 

WM.  H.  SEWARD. 


MEMORIAL   OF   HAXSOX    A.  RISLEY.  105 

LETTER  FROM  OLIVE  RISLEY  SEWARD. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  Oct.  n,  1893. 

Dear  Mr.  McKinstry:  I  have  looked  for  a  long  and  quiet  hour 
in  which  to  answer  your  most  kind  letter,  and  to  tell  you  again  and 
again  how  thoroughly  I  appreciate  your  noble  and  gentle  tribute  to 
my  dear  father.  There  is  no  one  left  in  the  world  who  knew  and 
appreciated  him  so  well  as  you,  and  he  loved  you  dearly.  It  seems 
to  me,  as  I  read  your  notice  of  him  over  and  over  again,  that  it 
could  not  have  been  better.  The  facts  are  all  simply  stated  and  tell 
their  own  story.  The  praise  is  not  fulsome,  but  that  of  a  true,  just 
friend,  who  knew  of  whom  he  spake.  It  would  be  hard  in  any 
poor  words  of  ours  to  say  just  how  beautiful  his  character  was,  and 
his  noble  life  now  shows  plainly  to  me  a  constant,  daily  preparation 
for  the  Heavenly  country  toward  which  we  are  all  hastening,  and 
where  we  may  hope  to  meet  all  our  loved  ones  again. 

I  shall  sometimes  wish  to  write  to  you,  my  father's  dear  old  friend, 
and  I  shall  always  look  upon  it  as  one  of  the  greatest  pleasures  left 
in  life  to  see  and  talk  with  you.  With  love  to  your  children,  and 
renewed,  heartfelt  thanks,  believe  me,  sincerely  yours, 

OLIVE  RISLEY  SEWARD, 


106  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


THE  MODERN  MARTYR  AGE. 


[From   editorial  in  the   CENSOR,    published   some   thirty  years 
ago.] 

People  are  inclined  to  look  back  through  eighteen 
centuries  to  find  the  period  of  the  martyrs,  and  to  trace  along 
the  lapse  of  time  for  centuries  past,  in  the  dark  ages,  to  a 
time  when  death  and  suffering  accompanied  the  earnest 
witness  of  the  truth.  But  we  need  not  go  back  so  far  to 
find  indomitable  heroes,  who  endured  persecution  and  even 
death,  as  witnesses  for  a  principle  which  was  conscientiously 
believed  to  be  true,  and  which  succeeding  generations  will 
recognize  as  the  spirit  of  martyrdom.  There  have  ever  been 
choice  spirits,  from  the  days  of  the  prophets,  favored  of 
Heaven  with  clearer  preceptions  of  the  Divinity  within,  who 
were  ready  to  make  sacrifices  to  sustain  a  principle  which 
leads  to  the  establishment  of  justice  and  the  amelioration  of 
the  condition  of  their  fellow  men. 

Liberty  of  conscience  in  religious  worship  has  called  forth 
its  many  thousands  of  victims  who  offered  themselves  in 
sacrifice  to  secure  this  for  themselves  and  their  descendants. 
In  one  sense  they  were  martyrs,  for  others  must  necessarily 
participate  in  the  blessings  flowing  from  their  sacrifices. 

But  the  highest  order  of  martyrdom  is  .the  sacrifice  that  is 
made  for  others,  with  no  expectation  of  reward  except  the 
consciousness  of  benefits  conferred.  The  hired  soldiery,  who 
go  into  battle  simply  because  they  are  paid  for  it,  with  no 
patriotic  impulses  to  inspire  them  and  no  moral  principle  at 
the  foundation  of  their  sacrifice,  are  no  more  martyrs  than 
those  who  lose  their  lives  by  accident  on  the  railroad  or 
steamboat.  It  is  the  sacrifice  of  wealth,  ease  and  the  usual 
sources  of  enjoyment  by  self  denial,  for  the  benefit  of  others, 
that  constitutes  the  spirit  of  martyrdom.  It  was  this  that 
made  the  name  of  LaFayette  and  Kosciusko  and  others  so 
dear  to  the  American  heart.  It  was  the  sacrifice  for  the 


THE   MODERN    MARTYR   AGE.  107 

benefit  of  others  which  made  them  martyrs.  Our  National 
history  has  on  record  a  glorious  roll  of  martyrs,  who  pledged 
"their  lives,  their  fortunes  and  their  sacred  honor"  to  secure 
the  blessings  of  liberty  to  themselves  and  to  succeeding 
generations — blessings  which  flow  from  the  best  government 
in  the  world — through  their  devotion  to  a  principle  which 
triumphed  by  their  bloody  sacrifices.  History  will  award  to 
them  a  crown  which  the  conquerors  of  nations  for  annexa- 
tion or  mere  political  power  can  never  wear. 

But  of  all  the  martyrs  of  this  century,  none  may  wear  a 
brighter  crown  than  those  who  made  such  great  sacrifices 
for  the  benefit  of  a  helpless  and  oppressed  people  who  for 
two  hundred  years  had  worn  the  shackles  of  slavery.  When 
such  men  as  Gerrit  Smith  and  Wendell  Phillips,  cradled  in 
affluence  and  surrounded  with  all  the  comforts  which  wealth 
can  give,  devoted  their  great  talents,  time  and  wealth  in 
behalf  of  the  downtrodden  and  oppressed — such  men  as 
Garrison,  L,undy,  John  Brown,  the  noblest  martyr  of  the 
century — and  scores  of  others,  who  gave  themselves  to  the 
cause  of  a  people  who  were  helpless  in  themselves,  and 
struck  hard  blows  for  those  who  could  make  them  no  return 
but  their  gratitude — such  men  will  wear  the  martyr's  crown, 
and  the  brightest  pages  of  history  will  herald  their  praise 
and  richest  breathings  of  poetry  will  perpetuate  their  renown. 

Some  fifty  years  ago  Miss  Harriet  Martineau  visited  this 
country  and  was  received  with  joyous  welcome  by  statesmen 
and  scholars.  She  had  by  her  powerful  pen  labored  to 
ameliorate  the  condition  cf  the  poor  and  oppressed  of  her 
own  land.  She  saw  here  in  all  its  deformity  the  effects  of 
the  institution  of  slavery  in  brutalizing  the  moral  sentiment 
of  the  North,  where  apologists  and  defenders  were  found. 
She  returned  home  and  years  after  wrote  a  book  entitled 
"The  Martyr  Age."  Such  men  as  Channing,  Phillips, 
Gerritt  Smith,  Lovejoy,  Liggett,  and  scores  of  others  were 
eulogized  by  her  powerful  pen.  They  have  all  gone  to  their 
graves,  and  the  last,  Wendell  Phillips,  the  youngest  and 
most  gifted  and  eloquent  of  them  all,  has  just  departed. 


IO8  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

Some  of  them  lived  to  see  the  shackles  broken,  but  most  of 
them  died  without  the  sight.  They  have  left,  a  rich  legacy 
of  liberty  to  the  oppressed  and  their  memories  will  be  blessed 
through  succeeding  ages.  They  have  h'eard  the  welcome 
plaudit,  "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  the  least  of 
these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me."  They 
occupied  the  highest  plane  of  philanthropy  vouchsafed  to 
man  since  the  days  of  the  early  martyrs.  Their  actions  were 
in  accord  with  the  teachings  of  inspiration  and  they  have 
gone  to  their  reward.  In  the  cycles  of  the  ages  their  souls 
will  be  marching  on,  and  the  oppressed  of  all  nations  will 
honor  their  memories. 


DULL,  CARES. 


[Sung  by  Mrs.  A.  C.  Russell,  and  elderly  lady  of  Dunkirk,  at 
the  Old  Settlers'  Reunion.] 

Why  should  we  at  our  lot  complain, 

Or  grieve  at  our  distress  ? 
Some  think  if  they  could  riches  gain, 

They'd  gain  true  happiness. 
But  alas  !  how  vain  is  all  their  gain, 

This  life  is  made  of  clay. 
But  since  we're  here  with  friends  so  dear, 

We'll  drive  all  cares  away. 


At  life's  decline  old  age  comes  on, 

And  we  are  young  no  more;    '  , 
Let's  not  repine  at  what  we've  done 

Or  grieve  that  youth  is  o'er. 
But  cheerfully  as  formerly, 

Innocently  with  glee  — 
While  we  are  here  with  friends  so  dear, 

We'll  drive  all  cares  away. 


THE   OLD   TIME   SCHOOL.  IOQ 


THE  OLD  TIME  SCHOOL. 


[The  following  describes  the  school  where  the  writer  received 
his  rudimental  education  in  his  native  place.  He  attended  this 
school  from  about  1820  to  1832,  when  his  apprenticeship  to  the 
printing  business  commenced.] 

The  Springfield  (Mass.)  Union  publishes  a  letter  from 
Mr.  W.  McKinstry  concerning  the  "The  Old  Red  School 
House  on  Chicopee  Street, ' '  which  may  be  of  interest  to 
some  of  our  older  readers  in  recalling  similar  scenes  of  long 
ago,  while  to  the  younger  generation  it  mayimpart  informa- 
tion as  to  how  their  ancestors  were  taught  and  disciplined. 
After  describing  the  location  of  the  schoolhouse,  with  its 
benches  on  three  sides  and  fireplace  on  the  fourth,  and  how 
the  teacher  "boarded  around,"  he  says: 

The  school  .opened  by  the  reading  of  a  chapter  in  the 
Testament;  each  scholar  reading  a  verse  till  the  chapter  was 
complete,  and  then  their  studies  began.  Writing  was  the  first 
exercise.  Each  pupil  had  a  few  sheets  of  foolscap  paper 
stitched  at  the  back,  covered  with  brown  paper,  and  each 
had  a  '  'ruler' '  with  lead  '  'plummet' '  attached  by  a  string, 
with  which  he  ruled  his  paper  for  coarse  or  fine  hand  accord- 
ing to  his  degree  of  progress.  The  teacher  had  set  the  copy 
after  school  had  closed  the  evening  before,  and  this  the  boy 
was  required  to  imitate  and  fill  the  page  with  his  work.  A- 
the  pupil  advanced  in  his  work,  the  copies  became  more 
sentimental:  "Knowledge  is  power,"  "Washington  was  the 
Father  of  his  Country,"  and  the  like  were  required  to  be 
written  before  graduation  could  take  place.  The  old  gray 
goose  (every  household  had  more  or  less  of  them)  furnished 
the  quills  for  the  pens,  which  the  teacher  was  required  to 
make  or  mend.  The  ink  was  made  from  the  extract  of 
maple  bark  or  of  nut  galls  from  the  oak  trees,  which  the 
pupils  prepared  at  home.  '-'May  I  go  to  the  fire  to  thaw  my 
ink?"  is  often  asked  of  the  teacher  on  cold  mornings,  while 


HO  EDITORIAL  5IISCKIXANIES, 

the  half  hour  of  writing  is  going  on.  "Mend  my  pen,  sir  ?"" 
is  frequently  heard  as  the  .goose  quill  is  held  toward  the 
teacher  for  the  manipulation  of  his  pen  knife.  Half  a  dozen 
lads  and  lasses  are5  sometimes  spending  their  precious  time 
waiting  for  their  turns  to  have  their  pens  mended.  A  book 
like  the  writing,  book  was  also  used  by  the  student  in 
arithmetic,  in  which  he  wrote  out  the  problems  in  his  text 
book  from  his  slate.  Daboll  was  the  principal  text  book  in 
arithmetic,  but  others  were  introduced  soon  after.  They 
were  not  annoyed  by  book  agents  in  those  days. 

In  geography  more  classification  was  admissible.  Morse's 
geography  without  maps  and  mostly  descriptive  of  different 
portions  of  the  then  known  world,  was  superseded  by  Good- 
rich's  and  Olney's,  with  accompanying  atlas,  by  which 
greater  progress  could  be  made.  Geography  lessons  were 
Very  simple.  Not  a  state  existed  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  from  Ohio  west  and  north  was  a  vast  territory  which 
had  been  but  little  explored.  L,ewis  and  Clark's  travels 
west  to  the  Columbia  river,  on  which  expedition  I  think 
they  had  been  sent  in  Jefferson's  administration,  had  given 
some  light  to  geographers  on  the  Western  unexplored 
regions.  The  Hudson's  Bay  and  Northwest  fur  companies 
had  also  traversed  the  regions  further  north  in  their  traffic 
with  the  Indians  for  furs.  Hennepin,  LaSalle,  Marquette, 
Duluth  and  others  had  also  explored  around  the  head 
waters  of  the  upper  lakes  and  the  Mississippi.  No  one 
dared  to  dream  of  the  vast  progress  the  West  was  to  make 
in  a  half  century,  and  that  the  center  of  population  was  to 
be  transferred  west  of  the  then  wild  territory  of  Ohio,  and 
that  cities  were  to  grow  up  in  the  West  larger  than  any  that 
then  existed  on  the  American  continent. 

The  lessons  were  recited,  the  a,  b,  c's,  taught,  a-b  ab's 
spelled,  the  spelling  lessons  heard,  till  10:30  a.  m.,  when 
"the  boys  may  go  out"  was  announced.  Some  10  minutes 
were  allowed  to  them,  when  the  girls  had  a  like  recess.  At 
noon  they  went  to  their  dinners,  and  at  i  were  required 
to  be  back.  In  the  afternoon  the  parsing  lesson  was  labored 
with.  Murray's  grammar  was  the  text  book.  It  was  a 


THT2   OLD  TIME  SCHOOL,  111 

"'hard  road  to  travel."  The  pupils  learned  but  little  of  the 
principles  of  the  construction  of  language.  In  the  parsing 
lesson  the  dictionary  was  considerably  thumbed  to  find  the 
classification  of  words,  but  we  could  often  guess  right  before 
we  got  half  way  down  the  list  from  article  to  interjection. 
We  analyzed  Pope's  "Essay  on  Man,"  Milton's  "Paradise 
Lost,"  Pollock's  "Course  of  Time,"  and  various  other  works 
in  our  parsing  lessons.  Like  live  Yankees  we  became  expert 
in  guessing.  The  reading  book  of  the  advanced  classes  was 
the  English  Reader,  In  it  we  had  some  of  the  best  writings 
of  the  golden  age  of  English  literature.  Extracts  from 
Milton,  Shakespeare,  Goldsmith,  Addison,  Pope,  Cowper. 
Thompson,  Young  and  others,  furnished  the  theme  of  our 
lessons.  Of  course  the  pupils  who  could  read  only  hesitating- 
ly and  had  to  spell  out  the  words  before  pronouncing  them, 
could  not  appreciate  the  beauties  of  this  classic  literature. 
We  were,  however,  filled  with  wonder  over  Goldsmith's 
description  of  Niagara  Falls,  which  he  had  never  seen,  and 
we  felt  the  inspiration  of  his  glowing  pen  picture  when  more 
than  40  years  ago  we  first  visited  this  wonderful  cataract. 
Though  it  did  not  come  up  to  our  expectations,  we  became 
satisfied  that  no  Indian  in  his  bark  canoe  had  ever  ventured 
down  the  seething  abyss  in  safety. 

But  I  must  not  fail  to  mention  the  discipline  of  the  school. 
It  required  a  masculine  teacher  in  the  winter,  to  secure 
respect  and  obedience  from  the  larger  boys.  On  the  first 
day  of  school  he  appeared  before  the  pupils  with  a  "ferule" 
some  two  feet  long,  two  inches  wide  and  one  inch  thick, 
with  which  he  kept  them  in  awe.  It  was  his  scepter  of 
authority.  He  was  the  sovereign  in  the  school  room  and 
'  'his  right  there  was  none  to  dispute. ' '  A  whisper  without 
permission,  or  any  other  act  of  disobedience,  made  the 
transgressor  liable  to  be  called  to  the  middle  of  the  floor, 
hold  out  his  hand,  and  receive  several  strokes  from  the 
implement  of  authority  till  the  blisters  rose,  when,  with  the 
promise  of  good  behavior,  he  was  permitted  to  take  his  seat. 
The  girls  were  not  often  punished  in  this  way.  They 
behaved  better. .  But  sometimes  they  were  made  to  sit  with 


112  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  boys.  Only  think  how  dreadful  that  punishment  ! 
Think,  too,  how  the  poor  innocent  boy  suffered  when  the 
girl  was  compelled  to  sit  with  him.  The  boy  was  likewise 
punished  in  the  same  way.  We  are  inclined  to  think  that 
in  later  years  such  a  juxtaposition  was  enjoyed  by  many  of 
them. 

But  a  heavier  punishment  awaited  those  who  remained 
obdurate  when  the  lighter  punishment  failed.  There  were 
quantities  of  apple  tree  sprouts  in  Capt.  Pease's  orchard 
near  by.  *  Some  of  these  were  sent  for,  sometimes  by  the 
boy  who  was  to  receive  the  castigation.  They  were  warmed 
before  the  fire  so  as  to  make  them  more  flexible  and  service- 
able, and  the  dust  was  made  to  fly  over  the  back  and  legs 
of  the  culprit,  which  was  accompanied  by  "music  and 
dancing. ' ' 

The  recitation  of  the  spelling  lesson  was  the  special  scene 
of  rivalry.  The  "first  class"  came  to  the  floor,  where  they 
'  'toed  the  mark. ' '  '  'Attention, ' '  said  the  teacher,  when  every 
head  was  erect.  "Manners,"  every  boy  made  his  bow  and 
every  girl  a  "curtesy."  The  words  were  then  pronounced 
trom  the  columns  of  the  spelling  book,  and  when  one  failed 
the  next  in  the  class  who  succeeded  went  above.  To  '  'leave 
off  at  the  head"  was  to  win  the  laurels.  So  four  or  five 
classes  took  turns  in  this  exercise. 

The  etiquette  of  the  school  room  is  somewhat  departed 
from  in  these  days.  Then,  when  the  pupil  entered  the  room 
the  boy  took  off  his  cap  and  made  a  bow^  to  the  teacher  and 
the  girl  her  "curtesy,"  and  so  on  leaving  the  school  room. 
A  passer-by  on  the  street  received  like  attention  from  the 
children.  The  passengers  in  the  stage  coach  were  similarly 
greeted.  Age  and  gray  hairs  were  always  respected  and  no 
token  of  disrespect  was  allowed  by  either  teacher  or'  parent 
to  the  passer-by,  even  though  clothed  in  rags.  The  Chapin 
blood  gave  dignity  and  self-respect  even  to  boys  and  girls. 

The  period  of  attending  school  in  those  days  was  from 
four  to  1 7  or  1 8  years  of  age  in  winter,  or  to  1 1  or  1 2  in 
summer,  the  older  boys  being  required  on  the  farm  when 
there  was  work  to  be  done.  Every  Saturday  forenoon  the 


THE   OXD   TIME   SCHOOL.  113 

catechism  was  recited  and  most  of  them  could  answer  "'What 
is  the  chief  end  of  man  ?' '  etc. ,  to  the  end.  At  the  close  of 
the  term  the  parents  came  to  see  what  progress  their  children 
"had  made. 

Their  writing  books  were  passed  around  and  a  general 
recitation  of  their  studies  and  a  little  elocution  presented. 

"You'd  scarce  expect  one  of  my  age 
To  speak  in  public  on  the  stage," 

was  generally  given  before  the  interested  parents.  Amherst 
College,  some  16  miles  distant,  furnished  the  teachers  of  the 
winter  schools,  and  students  were  glad  to  earn  some  money 
to  pay  their  college  course.  The  teachers  were  mostly  well 
educated. 

But  more  than  six  decades  have  passed  since  the  scenes 
here  given  transpired  in  the  old  red  school  house.  The 
school  masters  and  school  marms  of  the  period  have  all 
passed  away.  The  lads  and  lassies  of  those  years,  if  still 
remaining  on  the  hither  side  of  the  river,  are  now  gray- 
headed  and  have  wrinkled  brows.  Their  children  are  grown 
up  and  grandchildren  cling  to  their  knees.  They  will 
remember  that  no  profane  words  were  ever  heard  on  their 
playgrounds,  and  no  obscene  word  from  the  lads  caused  the 
fair  girls  to  blush.  Not  one  of  those  youths,  so  far  as  I 
know,  has  become  a  drunken  dabauchee.  On  the  contrary, 
they  grew  up  to  usefulness  and  respectability.  Some  of  the 
venerable  and  respected  matrons  of  Springfield  were  among 
those  girls,  those  beautiful  girls  of  the  olden  time,  all  neatly 
attired  in  garments  of  their  own  or  their  mothers'  make,  so 
modest  in  demeanor,  so  bright  in  their  studies.  Memory 
fondly  clings  to  the  scenes  of  those  early  days,  and  fancy 
pictures  them  as  they  were,  when  they  joined  in  youthful 
sports  and  vied  with  each  other  iii  their  lessons.  We  may 
engage  in  the  active  business  of  life  and  grow  old  in  its  cares, 
its  joys  and  sorrows,  but  no  subsequent  friendships  and 
loving  memories  will  cling  to  us  like  those  formed  when  we 
were  children  and  youth  together  in  our  school  days. 

But  I  have  said  enough.  Of  blessed  memory  are  the  boys 
and  girls  of  the  old  red  school  house. 


114  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


AN  ANCIENT  GEOGRAPHY. 


THE  MANSE,  RICHFIELD,  O.,  April  10,  1887. 

DEAR  CENSOR  : — We  are  in  an  old  town  in  Summit  Co. , 
the  highest  land  in  the  State,  but  yet  not  so  elevated  but 
that  the  fields  are  putting  on  their  spring  verdure,  though 
the  blossoms  and  flowers  are  yet  in  the  dormant  buds.  Two 
weeks  ago  we  were  in  sight  of  mountains  covered  with  snow, 
whose  lofty  peaks  towered  nearly  10,000  feet  above  the 
Pacific  ocean  some  30  miles  away.  But  between  those 
mountain  peaks  were  the  foot  hills  and  valleys  where  were 
perpetual  verdure,  with  flowers  of  almost  perpetual  bloom, 
and  golden  fruit  pendant  from  the  overburdened  trees  in  rich 
abundance. 

At  the  manse  here  we  have  been  looking  over  some  books 
of  nearly  two  centuries  past.  Among  them  we  find  a 
geography  published  in  L,ondon  in  1728.  In  it  probably 
my  great  grandfather  got  much  of  his  knowledge  of  the 
earth's  surface.  It  is  entitled  "Geography  Anatomized  or 
The  Geographical  Grammar,  being  a  short  and  exact 
Analysis  of  the  Whole  Body  of  Modern  Geography"  etc. 
eleventh  edition.  It  is  dedicated  '  'to  the  most  Reverend 
Father  in  God,  Thomas  L,ord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury." 

Of  the  lakes  in  '  the  world,  the  only  pnes  he  mentions  in 
North  America  are  '  'the  Iroquois,  found  in  the  South  part 
of  Terra  Canadenus.  Of  the  great  rivers  of  America,  are 
mentioned  "In  New  Spain,  none  remarkable. "  In  New 
Granada  is  Rio  del  Norte,  unknown. 

In  Florida  is  Rio  del  Spiritu  S.  In  Terra  Canadenus,  the 
Great  River  Canada,  The  Connecticut,  Hudson  River, 
Rivere  de  la  Ware,  the  Susquaehanna,  The  Potomeck,  all 
marked  unknown.  The  Mississippi,  Missouri,  and  all  the 
other  rivers  now  so  well  known,  were  not  mentioned,  and  in 
South  America  the  Amazon  is  merely  mentioned  and  marked 
unknown. 


AN   ANCIENT   GEOGRAPHY.  ^  115 

Of  the  countries  of  North  America,  Boston  is  put  down  as 
the  Capital  city  of  Canadeus,  and  Santa  Fee  of  Granada. 

Among  the  Rarities  of  Florida  is  mentioned  "a  certain 
Tree,  the  juice  of  whose  Fruit  the  Natives  used  to  squeeze 
out,  and  therewith  anoynt  their  arrows,  being  a  rank  sort  of 
Poyson.  So  strong  a  Poyson  is  this  Tree  that  if  a  few 
Handfuls  of  its  Leaves  are  bruised  and  thrown  into  a  large 
Pond  of  Standing  Water,  all  sorts  of  Beasts  that  happen  to 
come  and  drink  thereof  do  suddenly  swell  and  burst  asunder. ' ' 
"The  Floridins  are  naturally  white,  but  by  annointing 
themselves  (both  Men  and  Women)  with  a  certain  Ointment, 
they  still  appear  of  an  Olive  color. ' ' 

New  England,  it  says,  was  taken  possession  of  for  Queen 
Elizabeth,  Anno  1558,  is  bounded  on  the  East  by  a  part  of 
the  main  Ocean,  on  the  West  by  some  of  Terra  Arctica,  on 
the  North  by  Accadia,  and  on  the  South  by  New  York. 
Of  the  "Rarities' '  it  says:  '  'In  several  parts  of  New  England 
grows  a  certain  Fruit  termed  the  Butter-Nut,  so  called  from 
the  Nature  of  its  Kernel,  which  yields  a  kind  of  sweet  Oil, 
that  hath  the  exact  taste  of  ordinary  Butter."  "Of  many 
rare  birds  in  New  England,  the  most  remarkable  is  the 
Troculus,  about  the  Bigness  of  a  Swallow,  having  very  short 
Legs,  and  hardly  able  to  support  himself.  Nature  hath 
provided  him  with  sharp  pointed  feathers  in  his  Wings,  by 
darting  of  which  into  the  Walls  of  a  House,  he  sticks  fast 
and  rests  securely." 

New  York,  discovered  Anno  1608  by  Mr.  Hudson,  is 
bounded  on  the  East  by  the  main  Ocean,  on  the  West  by 
some  Terra  Arctica,  on  the  North  by  New  England  and  on 
the  South  by  New  Jersey. 

Two  great  American  Islands  are  mentioned,  viz: — Cali- 
fornia and  New  Found  Land.  Of  California  it  says:  This 
Island  was  formerly  esteemed  a  peninsula,  but  is  now  found 
to  be  entirely  surrounded  by  Water.  Its  North  part  was 
discovered  by  Francis  Drake,  Anno  1577  and  by  him  called 
New  Albion.  The  inland  parts  were  afterward  searched 
into,  and  being  found  to  be  a  dry,  barren  and  cold  country, 
Europeans  were  discouraged  from  sending  Colonies  to  the 
same." 


fl6  ifDITORIAL 

In  a  crude  map  given  in  the  Apendix,  California  is 
represented  as  an  Island  extending  from,  about  lat.  22  deg. 
North  to  lat.  42  deg.  with  the  Red  Sea  dividing  it  from  the: 
main  land.  Florida  embraces  all  the  land  South  of  Virginia, 
and  extends  about  half  the  distance  West  to  the  Red  Sea, 
which  divides  it  from  California.  North  of  California  is  all 
blank  space,  or  art  undiscovered  region. 

This  Geography  contains  about  450  pages,  is  well  printed 
for  the  time,  the  title  page  illuminated  with  red  letters  and 
fancy  borders  over  the  chapters,  in  the  best  style  of  the  art. 
But  tew  at  the  time  were  able  to  own  such  a  valuable  book. 
'Fhey  were  doubtless  greatly  instructed  by  it,  and  had  their 
ideas  of  the  magnitude  of  the  earth's  surface  greatly  enlarged, 
as  they  were  compared  with  the  geographical  knowledge  of 
the  Romans  and  Greeks  of  the  centuries  before. 

South  America  was  better  known  at  that  time  than  North 
America  and  scarcely  any  discoveries  were  made  on  the 
Ea: tern  side  of  the  North  Pacific.  As  is  well  known,  the 
charters  of  the  Colonies  extended  west  to  the  ocean,  especial- 
ly Massachusetts,  New  York  and  Virginia.  A  very  in- 
definite idea  prevailed  of  the  extent  of  territory  given  by  the 
English  sovereigns  to  their  friends  who  founded  colonies  in 
America. 

In  South  America  all  that  portion  north  of  the  "Equi- 
noctial Line"  was  called  "Terra  Firma. "  Among  the 
rarities  of  this  country  is  mentioned  '  'certain  Trees  called 
Totock,  remarkable  for  their  Fruit,  which  is  of  so  great  a 
Bulk  and  withal  so  hard  that  People  can't  with  safety  walk 
among  'em  when  the  Fruit  is  ripe,  being  in  Danger  every 
Moment  to  have  their  Brains  knocked  out. ' ' 

In  speaking  of  the  New  Foundland  Banks,  this  Geography 
says:  "So  thick  do  the  Fishes  sometimes  swarm  that  they 
retard  the  Passage  of  Ships  sailing  over  them." 

The  entire  G2ography  contains  a  great  deal  of  matter 
Which  is  quite  interesting  to  modern  students  in  this  branch 
of  education.  Perhaps  two  hundred  years  hence  our  school 
books  will  be  equally  interesting  and  instructive.  M. 


ONE    HUNDRED    YEARS    AGO.  I  17 


ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO. 


[From  the  CENSOR  of  July  5,  1876.] 

To-day  our  Nation  has  passed  the  one  hundredth  year  of 
its  existence.  This  is  but  a  short  time  in  the  history  of 
nations,  and  yet  it  has  been  a  marked  era  in  the  world's 
history.  It  is  but  little  more  than  one-thirtieth  of  the  period 
since  Egypt,  Babylon  and  Ninevah  were  the  rival  centres  of 
political  power  and  civilization.  It  is  less  than  one-twentieth 
of  the  time  which  has  elapsed  since  the  Roman  Empire  was 
in  the  zenith  of  its  power  and  glory.  It  is  less  than  one- 
tenth  the  period  since  the  papal  power  held  control  over  the 
sovereigns  of  Europe  and  what  is  called  the  Dark  Ages 
prevailed.  And  less  than  one-fourth  the  time  since  the 
light  of  the  Reformation  broke  over  Europe  and  emancipated 
many  millions  from  the  thraldom  of  religious  bigotry  and 
superstition.  Less  than  four  hundred  years  ago  the  Turkish 
Empire  was  the  most  powerful  in  the  world,  and  Constanti- 
nople was  the  seat  of  a  government  whose  power  had  ex- 
tended its  conquests  over  the  Eastern  nations,  Northern 
Africa  and  part  of  Spain;  and  threatened  Italy,  Hungary 
and  Germany. 

\Yithin  the  last  hundred  years  no  country  in  the  world 
has  made  the  progress  that  has  been  witnessed  in  the  United 
States.  From  thirteen  colonies  of  less  than  three  millions 
of  people  it  has  grown  to  be  the  leading  nation  of  the  world, 
with  a  population  of  45,000,000.  It  has  acquired  of  territory 
Florida  from  Spain,  the  Louisiana  territory  from  France, 
which  embraced  the  states  of  Louisiana,  Arkansas,  Missouri. 
Kansas,  Nebraska  and  a  vast  amount  of  Indian  territory 
farther  west.  Also  by  annexation,  Texas,  of  equal  extent 
to  four  states  as  large  as  New  York,  and  by  treaty  New 
Mexico,  California  and  Alaska.  The  territory  acquired  by 
treaty  includes  a  much  larger  population  now  than  the  whole 


Il8  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

thirteen  colonies.  In  the  universality  of  education  no 
country  except  Germany  is  the  peer  of  this.  In  enterprise 
and  development  of  natural  resources  this  nation  stands  at 
the  head.  In  the  arts  and  sciences,  though  nearly  all  the 
world  has  progressed,  none  can  show  more  rapid  advance- 
ment. 

In  the  separation  from  Great  Britain,  the  colonists  appeal- 
ed to  the  Supreme  Judge  of  the  world  for  the  rectitude  of 
their  intentions.  An  all  wise  Providence  sustained  them  in 
their  appeal,  and  has  made  of  them  a  great  nation,  with 
influence  for  good  on  all  the  other  nations  of  the  earth; 
whose  history  recommends  to  all  people  free  government, 
free  speech,  a  free  press.  A  government  of  the  people,  by 
the  people  and  for  the  people.  For  all  of  which  and  bless- 
ings innumerable  let  thanks  ascend  on  this  day  to  the  Great 
Ruler  of  the  Universe. 


THE    CENTENNIAL  EXPOSITION.  119 


THE     CENTENNIAL     EXPOSITION     AT     PHILA- 
DELPHIA. 


The  completion  of  one  hundred  years  of  our  National 
history  is  a  fit  time  for  an  exhibition  of  the  progress  the 
country  has  made,  and  by  an  international  exposition,  to 
compare  the  progress  of  all  nations  in  civilization  and 
progress  of  arts.  The  place  is  particularly  appropriate.  In 
this  city  the  instrument  was  signed  by  the  representatives  of 
the  13  colonies  declaring  themselves  an  independent  nation* 
The  hall  where  they  met,  the  place  where  the  historic 
instrument  was  penned,  the  bell  which  announced  its 
proclamation,  all  are  preserved  as  venerated  relics. 

Less  than  two  centuries  ago,  Charles  II  granted  to  Wm. 
Penn  the  charter  which  gave  him  the  territory  known  as 
Pennsylvania  or  " Penn 's  Woods."  Two  years  after,  the 
city  of  Philadelphia  was  laid  out,  the  streets  all  in  regular 
and  rectangular  directions,  and  the  city  was  commenced. 
Now  it  is  the  second  city  in  wealth  and  population  on  the 
American  continent. 

The^  colonies  were  forbidden  to  manufacture  for  trade,  and 
now,  after  i oo  years  of  separation,  their  manufactures  find 
a  market  in  every  country  in  the  world,  and  in  this  city  is 
exhibited  the  evidences  of  skill  in  useful  productions  which 
vie  with  the  products  of  much  older  countries.  100  years 
ago  the  mother  country  compelled  the  colonies  to  purchase 
the  glass,  nails  and  products  of  machinery  from  abroad. 
Now  a  successful  competition  is  carried  on  with  the  products 
of  our  manufactories  in  every  land.  Now  all  the  nations  of 
the  world  are  contributing  of  their  skill  to  enhance  the  value 
of  the  World's  Exposition  now  in  progress.  Peace  and  good 
will  is  manifested  now  by  all  the  nations,  and  a  friendly 
rivalry  is  exhibited  of  their  resources  and  skill.  No  sight 
in  the  whole  history  of  the  world  has  ever  been  exhibited  to 


120  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

compare  with  what  is  at  this  moment  to  be  seen  in  this  great 
international  exhibition.  The  youngest  of  the  nations 
invites  those  hoary  with  age  and  experience  to  compare 
products  and  improve  each  other  by  the  friendly  competition. 

The  first  sight  on  entering  the  main  building,  is  grand 
beyond  description;  and  yet  the  more  that  is  seen  of  it,  the 
more  wonderful  it  appears.  Here  every  nation  may  be 
visited,  their  progress  in  the  arts  and  sciences  investigated — 
their  natural  resources  seen,  and  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  people  shown  at  a  glance.  In  this  building,  nearly 
three-eighths  of  a  mile  in  length,  and  more  than  28  rods  in 
width,  each  nation  has  its  portion  of  space,  and  in  each  the 
best  specimens  of  their  products  may  be  seen.  India,  China, 
Japan,  Australia,  Egypt,  Turkey,  South  Africa,  the  several 
nations  of  Europe  from  the  Arctic  ocean  to  the  Mediterranean, 
and  of  America  from  Alaska  to  Cape  Horn,  may  be  seen  in 
a  day's  travel  through  its  eleven  miles  of  aisles;  but  if  a 
month  should  be  spent  in  the  examination,  something  new 
would  be  seen  at  every  visit.  Yet  this  is  but  one  of  the 
several  buildings  to  be  visited.  Machinery  Hall,  which  is 
85  rods  in  length  and  nearly  22  rods  wide,  is  filled  with  busy 
machinery,  mostly  moved  by  the  Corlis  engine,  all  exhibit- 
ing the  inventive  powers  of  the  nations,  and  each  presenting 
a  world  of  history  to  the  eye,  bewilders  the  visitor  as  he 
proceeds  through  the  extended  aisles.  In  this  Hall,  the 
American  inventive  power  is  remarkably  manifest,  though 
there  are  specimens  of  workmanship  from  Europe  which 
well  deserve  the  highest  commendation. 

During  the  week  spent  in  visiting  the  Exposition,  we 
could  not  examine  in  detail  and  much  less  can  we  describe 
it.  Just  take  into  consideration  the  vast  extent  of  buildings, 
all  filled  to  their  utmost  capacity  with  the  products  of  all 
nations.  The  eight  exhibition  buildings  aggregate  in  length 
5,562  feet,  or  one  mile  282  feet,  and  average  in  width  293 
feet.  The  exhibit  from  the  several  nations  are  grouped  by 
themselves;  so  that  to  pass  from  one  nation  to  another  is  easy 
and  convenient.  The  several  States  have  each  large  and 
commodious  buildings  as  headquarters  of  their  citizens,  some 


THE  "CEXTEXXIAX  EXPOSftlOSr. 

of  them  with  a  creditable  display  of  products.  Kansas  and 
Colorado  have  a  splendid  show,  the  latter  of  precious  metals 
and  ores  representing  millions  of  wealth,  and -the  former  a 
rich  show  of  her  golden  harvests,  tastefully  arranged  so  as 
to  present  at  one  view  the  greatest  inducements  for  emigra- 
tion to  her  fertile  lands.  In  the  U.  S.  Government  build- 
ings, the  process  of  making  .guns,  complete  in  all  their  parts, 
with  the  manufacture  of  cartridges,  is  seen  in  the  building. 
Also  the  huge  cannon,  and  the  turret  of  a  monitor 
-.vith  its  immense  armament,  a  set  of  fast  mail  cars — a  display 
of  sea  lions,  seals,  waJruses,  and  a  .great  variety  offish  are 
exhibited. 

In  the  Women's  Pavilion  may  be  seen  a  variety  of  looms 
for  fancy  weaving — the  printing  press  and  type  setting,  with 
the  publication  of  their  newspaper,  all  operated  by  females, 
-and  a  six  horse  Baxter  engine,  also  with  a  lady  for  engineer, 
which  furnishes  the  power  for  the  various  industries,  as  well 
as  the  fine  show  of  handiwork,  all  demonstrating  what 
ivomen  can  do  if  they  will. 

The  several  buildings  are  located  at  various  distances 
from  each  other,  and  are  reached  by  a  three  feet  gauge 
railroad,  some  three  miles  in  length,  double  track,  on  which 
are  thirteen  trains  of  cars  constantly  running.  Five  cents 
pays  for  a  trip,  and  nearly  even-  visitor  takes  a  ride  on  the 
cars.  The  Brooks  locomotive  Works  of  Dunkirk  have  one 
of  the  locomotives  run  by  John  Dickinson,  with  whom  we 
had  the  pleasure  of  taking  a  trip  on  his  engine.  He  takes 
just  pride  in  his  machine  and  we  should  judge  that  no  better 
one  was  on  the  ground.  The  track  curves  around  among 
the  buildings,  making  some  sharp  turns,  and  at  one  place 
has  over  200  feet  grade.  But  John's  machine  does  not  seem 
to  mind  the  hard  pull;  it  is  always  equal  to  the  emergency. 

The  visitors  during  the  week  we  were  there,  averaged 
some  20,000  per  day;  this  was  quite  a  falling  off,  owing  to 
the  warm  weather.  It  is  expected  that  in  Septeriiber  and 
October  there  will  be  a  larger  attendance  than  ever.  Vet  it 
is  such  a  vast  concern  that  financially  it  may  not  be  a  success i 
As  an  enterprise  to  show  the  progress  of  the  arts  and  the 


122  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

result  of  genius  in  inventions,  it  will  be  amply  remunerative. 
It  will  give  to  the  world  ideas  and  improvements  suggested 
by  what  is  here  to  be  seen,  which  will  reach  the  remotest 
bounds  of  civilization.. 

The  multitude  who  daily  throng  this  .world  in  miniature 
is  well  worthy  of  observation.  Nothing  is  observable  that 
is  offensive  to  the  most  refined.  No  drunkenness  or  profanity 
— nothing  even  trivial  meets  the  eye.  All  seem  intent  on 
learning  something  and  come  to  carry  away  ideas.  Some 
are  attracted  principally  to  the  mineral  wealth  displayed, 
some  to  the  fine  arts,  others  to  the  curious  or  ponderous 
machinery,  and  still  others  to  the  Agricultural  and  Horti- 
cultural display.  Yet  there  is  food  for  all  tastes,  and  every 
want  seems  to  be  abundantly  satisfied.  "The  half  has  not 
been  told,"  is  the  exclamation  of  the  visitor.  No  one  who 
goes  regrets  it.  All  the  Americans  feel  that  it  is  our  show, 
with  the  whole  world  to  help  us.  See  what  our  nation  has 
done  in  a  hundred  years,  and  beat  it  if  you  can  !  We 
predict  that  the  next  International  exhibit,  by  whatever 
nation  projected,  will  have  hard  work  to  follow  copy,  unless 
they  wait  for  years  of  improvement  to  take  place  as  the 
result  of  this  national  enterprise. 

[The  above  was  written  eighteen  years  ago.  The  exhibition 
was  a  great  success,  and  toward  the  close  there  were  on  some  days 
more  than  250,000  visitors.  The  whole  loan  from  the  government 
of  $1,000,000  was  repaid,  and  the  advances  made  by  citizens  were 
all  retnrned  and  there  was  money  left..] 


EXPOSITION    AT   NEW   ORLEANS.  123 


THE  GREAT  EXPOSITION  AT  NEW  ORLEANS. 


NEW  ORLEANS,  April  ir,  1885. 

Yesterday  was  New  Orleans  day  at  the  Exposition.  It 
reminded  us  more  of  the  Centennial  in  the  numbers  in 
attendance,  than  any  other  day  in  the  two  weeks  we  had 
spent  here.  The  number  of  visitors  was  estimated  at  30,  - 
ooo  though  the  average  since  we  have  been  here  is  less 
than  10,000.  The  schools  were  admitted  at  reduced  price, 
and  it  was  a  kind  of  holiday  with  the  business  people. 
Mardi  Gras  day  was  the  only  one  which  equalled  it  since 
the  exposition  opened.  A  concert  with  hundreds  of  children 
was  given  in  the  auditorium,  and  in  the  afternoon  also  the 
Mexican  Band  gave  a  concert,  which  attracted  a  large  con- 
course. The  large  organ  fronting  the  auditorium,  is  handled 
with  great  skill,  but  is  not  used  as  an  accompaniment. 
The  band  of  100  pieces  is  supported  by  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment, which  has  erected  extensive  barracks  for  them  and 
those  in  charge  of  the  Mexican  exhibits.  We  noticed  that 
when  "Dixie"  was  presented,  the  audience  was  wild  with 
excitement;  shouting,  cheering  and  waving  of  hankerchiefs 
prevailed  through  the  audience  and  the  repetition  was  the 
result.  We  northern  people  could  not  well  object,  as  Lincoln 
said  we  had  captured  the  tune  with  the  surrender  of  the 
confederacy,  so  now  it  belongs  to  us  as  well  as  to  the  routh. 
The  auditorium  seats  6,000  people,  and  the  galleries  will 
seat  1,000  to  2,000  more. 

All  are  surprised  at  the  Mexican  exhibit.  The  im- 
pression that  it  is  a  semi -barbarous  country  is  here 
dispelled.  In  the  art  gallery  it  seemed  to  be  the  most 
attractive,  in  the  fruit  and  flower  department  it  took  the 
lead,  and  in  the  main  and  government  buildings  the  space 
occupied  by  the  Mexicans  was  large  and  interesting.  \\\ 


r-24 

understand  $25,000   was   appropriated  by  that   government 
for  the  exhibit. 

At  4  o'clock  the  Capt.  Eads-ship  railroad  was  operated,, 
with  explanations  of  its  operations  given.  A  model  ship, 
some  7  or  8-'  feet  long,,  lay  in  a  tank  of  water.  An  iron- 
cradle  with- self  adjusting  braces  and  supports  was  placed 
under  the  ship,  and  by  powerful  hydraulic  appliances  it  was; 
raised  bodily  to  the  level- of  the  railroad  tracks,  which  were 
equal  to  six  railroads  side  by  side,  and  more  than  100  car 
wheels  on  each  track.  The  ship  was-  then  drawn  across  the 
miniature  isthmusy  and  placed  safely  in  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
The  distance  between  New  Orleans  and  San  Francisco 
would  be  short  end  by  this  R.  R_  over  the  Cape  Horn  route, 
{•2,500  miles,  and  over  the  Panama  R.  R.  1,857.  The 
distance  from  New  York  to  Hong  Kong  would  be  shortened 
8,700  miles  over  the  Cape  Horn  route. 

With  the  increasing  friendly  relations'  existing  between. 
©ur  country  and  Mexico,,  we  have  no-  doubt  that  the 
Tehuantepec  route,  either  by  rail  or  canal,  will  be  eventual- 
ly adopted. 

A  railroad  car,  run  by  electricity,  passes  from  near  the 
main  building  to  the  tront  of  the  government  building,  and 
is  considerably  patronized  at  one  nickel  per  passage. 

[This  was  the  first  electric  car  we  had  ever  seen  and  it 
could  carry  but  four  passengers  at  a  time  and  the  battery 
had  to  be  charged  at  every  trip.  What  wonderful  progress- 
has  been  made  in  the  last  ten.  years  1  Now  every  large  city 
has  its  lines  of  electric  cars,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 
No  one  would  have  dreamed  it  from  this  first  beginning.] 

One  day  last  week  was  Chautauqua  day.  It  seemed  a 
bit  like  home  to  see  an  audience  of  5,000  to  6,.ooo  listening 
to  the  speeches  and  singing,  and  the  more  interesting,  to  be 
1,500  miles  from  home,  and  to  see  such  evidences  of  the  far. 
reaching  fame  of  our  own  ChaUtauqua.  But  we  missed  the 
excellent  adaptation  of  the  Chautauqua  auditorium.  In  fact 
\ve  have  never  seen  that  equalled  for  ease  in  speaking  to  so 
large  an  audience.  The  noise  of  the  machinery  in  proximity 
was  a  draw  back,  but  the  high  room,  with  no  elastic  surface 


EXPOSITION'   AT   NEW   ORLEANS.  125 

to  aid  the  voice,  rendered  it  impossible  for  three-fourths  of 
the  audience  to  hear  distinctly.  The  reporters  in  next 
morning's  papers  made  the  speeches  available.  A  beautiful 
poem,  a  tribute  to  the  Liberty  Bell,  followed  the  speeches, 
which  I  regret  was  not  reported.  It  was  presented  by  a 
gentleman  from  Poughkeepsie.  I  think  Chautauqua  day  is 
voted  a  success. 

MOBILE,  Ala.,  April  19,  1885. 

One  month  ago,  Saturday,  March  igth,  I  left  Dunkirk 
for  the  South.  I  spent  five  days  at  Mobile  on  my  way 
down,  and  16  days  at  New  Orleans.  I  left  the  frost  and 
snow  of  winter,  and  found  in  the  Crescent  City  the  balmy 
air  and  blossoms  of  Spring  and  foliage  and  vegetation  of 
Chautauqua  June.  I  have  returned  here  with  a  pretty  good 
idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  Exposition.  I  went  in  the  best 
time  to  see  it.  The  delays  in  preparation  had  been  over- 
come, and  everything  was  now  in  place  and  in  running 
order.  The  cosmopolitan  exhibits  could  now  be  compared, 
and  the  indigenous  products  of  the  different  countries,  and 
particularly  of  the  American  States,  showed  the  capabilities 
of  American  Republics  when  brought  together  by  friendly 
commercial  relations.  The  far-seeing  statesmanship  of  Mr. 
Elaine,  favoring  a  Congress  of  American  Republics  for 
mutual  trade  and  exchange  of  products,  could  be  seen  here. 

But  one  observation  will  be  made  by  the  visitor  who  saw 
the  Centennial  exhibit,  that  is  that  the  buildings  are  mostly 
too  large  for  the  exhibits  and  attendance.  A  large  amount 
of  space  was  unoccupied,  and  the  extent  of  travel  to  see  it 
might  have  been  much  diminished  had  the  space  been  better 
filled.  Some  idea  of  the  miles  of  travel  necessary  to  see  the 
exhibits  may  be  had  by  the  statistics  of  the  size  of  the  build- 
ings: The  main  building,  1,376  by  905  feet.  Government 
building,  885  by  565  feet.  Horticultural  Hall,  600  by  194 
feet.  Art  Gallery-,  250  by  100  feet.  Machinery  Hall 
Extension,  350  by  120  feet,  and  then  add  the  Mexican 
exhibits,  the  Pagoda,  Furniture  Pavilion,  and  multiply 
these  spaces  by  numerous  aisles  lengthwise  and  crosswise, 
and  it  will  be  seen  that  no  visitor  can  avoid  great  weariness 
in  seeing  it  all.  Yet  it  is  a  great  educating  exhibit  and  time 


126  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

spent  by  teachers  and  schools  there  will  be  of  more  service 
to  them  than  ten  times  as  much  in  books.  It  is  a  vast 
object  lesson.  But  the  rush  from  the  North  is  all  over.  In 
the  first  three  months  of  the  year,  the  trains  were  crowded, 
four  or  five  sections  in  each,  on  the  five  or  six  lines  of  road 
reaching  the  city,  all  eager  to  see  this  grand  Cosmopolitan 
exhibit,  and  to  enjoy  the  climate  of  the  Sunny  South.  The 
exhibit  for  the  last  and  present  month  has  been  satisfactory, 
but  the  cold  rains  and  horrible  streets  have  not  been  what 
the  visitors  from  the  North  had  pictured  of  the  city.  Now 
the  trains  from  the  North  are  light,  but  cheap  fares  are  in- 
creasing the  attendance  from  the  Southern  states,  though 
the  receipts  at  the  gates  are  only  about  half  what  they  were 
six  weeks  or  two  months  ago.  The  affair  will  wind  up  May 
3ist  and  \vill  be  a  financial  failure,  but  as  an  educating 
institution  w7ill  be  a  success,  and  perhaps  that  will  be 
sufficiently  remunerative  for  the  government  aid. 

[The  finances  of  this  exhibition  were  a  greater  failure  than  was 
anticipated.  The  entire  government  loan  was  sunk,  and  the  indivi- 
dual loans  to  the  exhibition  were  also  unpaid.  No  premiums  were 
awarded  except  by  an  additional  loan,  and  only  a  percentage  of  the 
awards  was  paid.} 


ON   TO    RICHMOND. 


ON  TO  RICHMOND. 


RICHMOND,  Va.,  April  i,  1870. 

DEAR  CENSOR:  The  hebdomadal  duties  which  have 
occupied  most  of  my  time  during  thirty  years  past,  are  again 
broken  in  upon.  I  am  in  the  capital  of  the  late  Southern 
Confederacy.  When  I  left  Chautauqua  County  on  the 
evening  of  the  24th  ult.,  we  passed  through  snowdrifts,  be- 
tween Dunkirk  and  Fredonia,  which  had  obstructed  the  street 
cars  for  weeks.  Through  the  center  of  the  State  there  was 
a  larger  amount  of  snow  than  in  Chautauqua,  and  at  Albany 
the  mode  of  conveyance  was  mostly  on  runners.  Saturday 
morning,  when  we  arrived  in  New  York,  there  was  no  snow 
to  be  seen,  and  as  we  neared  Philadelphia  fields  were  being 
plowed  for  the  spring  crops,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  that  city 
gardens  were  being  made.  Arrived  in  Washington,  the 
grass  was  assuming  its  summer  green,  and  the  trees  were 
ready  to  open  their  buds  for  blossoms  and  foliage.  On 
Tuesday  morning  we  journeyed  down  the  Potomac  to  Acquia 
Creek,  and  thence  by  rail  to  this  city.  At  the  boat  landing, 
the  extensive  piles  which  had  been  driven  into  the  river 
bank,  supported  very  large  storage  houses  during  the  war, 
from  which  the  supplies  of  Hooker  and  Burnside  were 
derived  when  the  army  moved  on  to  Fredericksburg.  The 
buildings  were  burned  on  the  evacuation  by  Hooker,  and 
the  bare  piles  testify  to  the  extent  of  the  works  when  the 
large  army  was  fed  and  furnished  from  that  base.  There  is 
a  wide  wharf  now  standing,  from  which  the  Richmond  train 
receives  the  passengers  and  freight  from  the  twice  daily  boat 
from  Washington. 

$  £  $  £  £  $  #  £ 

After  crossing  the  Rappahannock  at  Fredericksburg,  we 
came  in  sight  of  the  battle  fields  where  so  many  of  our 
countrymen  laid  down  their  lives  to  purchase  the  integrity 


128  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

of  the  country.  A  Confederate  officer  who  sat  on  the  seat 
next  to  us  kindly  pointed  out  the  scenes  of  the  dreadful 
carnage.  The  intrenchments  on  the  rising  ground  plainly 
showed  where  were  the  fronts  of  the  opposing  armies,  and 
an  elevated  spot  filled  with  graves,  with  the  board  head- 
marks,  showed  where  thousands  of  the  nation's  brave 
defenders  w7ere  laid  for  their  silent  rest,  after  the  sanguinary 
conflict  was  over.  There  are  some  spots  of  '  'sacred  soil' '  in 
old  Virginia,  and  none  more  sacred  than  those  consecrated 
places  where  our  brave  ones  laid  down  their  lives,  and  rest 
from  the  toils  of  the  bloody  strife,  that  our  country  might 
live.  About  ten  miles  above  here  the  gallant  Col.  Stevens 
was  killed,  and  Capt.  Fay  was  captured  and  came  near 
being  a  victim  to  the  barbarity  of  the  rebels,  but  for  the 
solicitation  of  a  Fredonian  then  at  the  South,  who  interfered 
and  perhaps  saved  his  life.  Here  Sergeant  Tate  had  a 
narrow  escape  from  death  from  rebel  bullets,  and  was  taken 
prisoner  and  paroled.  We  trust  the  memory  of  these 
vicarious  offerings  of  the  thousands  of  victims,  for  our 
country's  salvation,  will  never  cease  to  be  cherished  while 
our  country  has  a  history  and  a  name.  The  consecrated 
cemetery  grounds  of  the  nation's  dead,  the  nation's  pensions 
and  bounty  money  so  worthily  bestowed,  the  large  number 
of  crippled  and  wounded  soldiers  in  the  employment  of  the 
government,  all  testify  to  our  national  gratitude  to  the 
memory  of  the  dead  and  the  great  debt  to  the  living.  We 
passed  by  the  remains  of  the  defenses  of  Richmond  as  we 
neared  the  city,  and  in  the  suburbs  the  house  where  John 
Miner  Botts  was  born  and  lived  many  years.  Our  confederate 
informant  said  Mr.  B.  was  opposed  to  secession  throughout, 
to  the  end  of  his  life,  but  was  compelled  to  keep  rather 
quiet  the  most  of  the  time. 

It  is  a  beautiful  day  that  we  are  spending  in  this  historical 
city.  Soon  after  our  arrival  we  found  our  friend  David 
B.  Parker,  who  now  holds  the  office  of  U.  S.  Marshal.  He 
came  into  the  city  with  our  victorious  army,  and  has  remain- 
ed here  ever  since  in  the  service  of  the  country,  at  first  in 
charge  of  the  post  office,  and  more  recently  in  his  present 


UN  TO  HICBMOKD. 

•office.  He  entered  the  service  in  Co.  D.  of  the  3d  Excelsior, 
•with  many  others  from  our  vicinity,  so  many  of  whom  have 
filled  honored  soldiers'  graves.  He  immediately  left  his 
business,  and  procuring  a  carriage,  went  with  us  to  nearly 
•every  part  of  the  city.  We  passed  by  the  church  where 
Patrick  Henry  made  his  stirring  speech  fcearly  one  hundred 
years  ago  in  behalf  of  American  independence.  The  church 
-is  retained  in  its  original  form  and  style,  the  effort  being 
made  to  preserve  every  feature  of  it  as  it  then  stood,  when 
its  wralls  echoed  his  stirring  eloquence.  We  passed  another 
•church  where  Jeff  Davis  was  attending  service  when  he 
received  the  news  of  his  defeat,  and  left  so  hurriedly;  to  be 
ignominiously  taken  when  arrayed  in  feminine  garments. 
The  house  where  he  lived  when  presiding  over  the  Con- 
federacy is  now  the  Headquarters  of  Gen.  Canby,  who  is  in 
command  of  the  military  power  of  the  reconstructed  State. 

Richmond  is  a  city  of  hills,  and  is  well  laid  out  for  a 
beautiful  place.  There  was  a  large  amount  of  wealth 
aggregated  in  the  city  before  the  war,  and  the  people  must 
have  anticipated  great  national  importance  to  it  as  the 
capital  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  The  State  has  furnish^ 
ed  more  Presidents  than  any  other,  and  this  was  the  great 
center  of  their  political  education. 

We  are  stopping  at  Ford's  hotel,  and  find  it  a  well  kept 
house,  largely  patronized  and  beautifully  located  on  the 
corner  of  fine  public  grounds  in  the  highest  part  of  the  city. 
where  are  the  court  house  and  State  house,  built  after  plans 
brought  by  Jefferson  from  Europe,  and  though  of  venerable 
antiquity,  they  are  of  fine  proportions  and  elaborate  Grecian 
architecture.  The  monument  of  Washington  designed  by 
Crawford,  exceeds  in  beauty  and  style  of  finish  any  that  we 
have  ever  seen.  The  granite  pedestal  has  on  the  top  a 
bronze  equestrian  statue  of  Washington,  and  on  lower 
pedestals  of  hexagonal  form  are  statues  of  Nelson,  with  a 
front  expressive  of  colonial  times;  Chief  Justice  Marshall, 
with  book  in  hand  labeled  "Justice;"  Patrick  Henry,  in  the 
attitude  of  impassioned  eloquence;  Mason,  with  pen  in 
hand,  labeled  "Bill  of  Rights;"  Jefterson  with  scroll  and 


130  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

pen,  labeled  "1776."  Erected  in  1857.  In  passing  over 
the  city  with  our  friend  Mr.  Parker,  we  came  to  a  high  bank 
of  the  river  overlooking  Belle  Isle,  where  our  unfortunate 
soldiers  suffered  so  terribly  in  imprisonment.  The  place 
where  they  were  kept  was  stockaded  in  a  low  part  of  the 
island,  but  little  above  the  water,  where  the  soldiers  burrow- 
ed in  the  ground,  and  the  malaria  of  the  climate  and  location 
made  many  victims  of  cruelty.  Belle  Isle  is  a  misnomer 
now.  One  can  scarcely  see  anything  beautiful  in  a  location 
rendered  infamous  .  by  the  cruelties  inflicted  on  our  poor 
soldiers.  Their  guards  were  stationed  on  a  bluff  overlooking 
them,  where  the  dead  line  was  in  full  view,  and  the  deadly 
missiles  for  encroachments  on  the  fatal  line  caused  many  to 
sleep  their  last  sleep,  as  did  the  terrible  malaria  which 
prevailed. 

The  equinoctial  storm  of  last  week  has  raised  the  river  to 
high  water  mark.  The  turbid  waters  rush  over  the  falls  and 
spread  far  over  the  intervale  lands,  making  the  James  river 
a  large  stream  at  the  present  time.  On  the  margin  of  the 
river  below  the  falls  are  the  Richmond  mills,  which  have 
the  capacity  of  manufacturing  3,000  barrels  of  flour  per  day. 
The  wheat  crop  has  greatly  diminished  since  the  war,  and 
the  mills  are  not  now  run  to  near  their  full  capacity.  The 
celebrated  Tredegar  iron  works,  from  which  the  Confederacy 
obtained  their  cannon,  are  now  in  full  blast,  manufacturing 
railroad  iron.  The  coal  and  ore  necessary  for  the  work  are 
in  convenient  proximity,  and  the  -mills  are  now  engaged  in 
forwarding  the  development  of  the  futufe  prosperity  of  the 
State  and  country. 

Our  window  overlooks  the  beautiful  square  on  which  are 
the  State  house,  post  office  building  and  Marshal's  office. 
On  one  side  is  the  gubernatorial  mansion.  These  public 
grounds  are  beautifully  laid  out  with  walks.  The  grass  is 
green.  The  buds  of  the  trees  are  nearly  ready  to  burst  forth 
their  foliage.  The  air  is  clear  and  mild.  Some  darkies 
from  the  State  prison  in  striped  uniform  are  scraping  the 
walks,  while  a  guard  stands  over  them  with  fixed  bayonets. 

The  high  hills  across   the  river  are   in  full  view,  and   the 


ON   TO    RICHMOND.  13! 

scenery  is  most  beautiful.  But  between  this  and  the  beautiful 
fields  beyond  the  flood  arrayed  in  living  green,  is  the  Libby 
prison,  where  our  poor  soldiers  were  starved  and  suffered  so 
much.  A  feeling  of  horror  came  over  us  as  we  slowly 
passed  this  infernal  place.  Some  in  our  county,  and  among 
them  Capt.  Fay,  have  a  vivid  recollection  of  this  place,  but 
alas,  how  many  never  lived  to  return  and  tell  of  its  horrors. 
Yet  how7  many  Copperheads  there  are  in  our  own  County 
who  claim  that  the  Confederate  prisoners  were  treated  as 
inhumanly  at  the  North.  But  perhaps  we  ought  not  to 
mention  these  things  now7  that  they  are  all  passed.  Gladly 
would  we  bury  in  oblivion  the  cruelties  of  the  late  fratricidal 
war,  but  in  view  of  the  scenes  of  their  enactment  these 
reflections  will  rise  unbidden  to  the  mind.  Let  us  hope 
that  the  reconstructed  Old  Dominion,  one  of  the  most 
patriotic  of  states  in  the  Revolution,  will  be  one  of  the  most 
loyal  of  the  reconstructed  states.  So  mote  it  be. 

ANOTHER  DAY  IN  RICHMOND. 

The  Legislature  is  now  in  session.  The  Senate  is 
composed  of  43  members,  of  whom  30  are  "Conservative," 
or  more  properly  Democratic,  and  13  Radical.  Three  of 
them  are  colored  men.  The  House  of  Delegates  has  130 
members,  of  which  19  are  colored.  Two  of  the  colored 
members  are  Conservative,  and  were  elected  by  Democratic 
votes.  Not  more  than  a  half  dozen  members  of  the  Legis- 
lature have  had  legislative  experience,  thus  laying  all  the 
old  politicians  on  the  shelf.  J  spent  a  short  time  in  each 
branch  of  the  Legislature.  The  colored  members  were 
mostly  by  themselves,  though  a  woolly  head  was  sometimes 
seen  among  the  straight-haired  legislators.  A  majority  of 
the  spectators  in  the  galleries  were  colored.  They  had  tke 
Registration  bill  under  consideration,  preparatory  to  the 
coming  election.  The  bill  provided  for  separate  registration 
of  white  and  colored  men.  To  this  the  colored  conservatives 
objected,  and  claimed  that  there  was  to  be  no  distinction. 
The  member  of  the  c6mmittee  who  reported  the  bill  said 
many  of  the  colored  voters  had  the  same  name  as  their  late 
masters,  and  it  was  necessary  to  designate  them  to  prevent 


EDITORIAL  MIS'CEXLANIKSV 


confusion.  Upon  this  a  colored  Democrat  remonstrated' 
most  vehemently  against  legislating  away  his  name,  but  the- 
motion  to  strike  out  the  words  white  and  colored  did  not. 
prevail. 

In  the  U.  S.  court  room  more  than  half  the  audience  were 
c'olored  people,  who  seemed  to  have  a  deep  interest  in  the- 
result  of  the  action.  It  must  have  been  surprising  to  see 
Gov.  Wise  their  main  defender  against  the  usurpations  of 
the  Democracy.  But  these  are  days  of  strange  events. 
The  governor  is  as  much  of  a  secessionist  as  ever,  and  so- 
elaims,  but  thinks  it  was  acting  in  bad  faith  toward  Con- 
gress to  be  reconstructed,  and  then  endeavor  to  overthrow 
and  thwart  a  provision  of  the  constitution. 

Under  the  new7  Constitution,  the  division  into  townships: 
and  the  supervisor  system  is  being  introduced.  A  new 
judiciary  system  is  also  to  take  effect.  The  judges  of  the 
county  courts  all  over  the  State  are  to  be  elected  by  the 
Legislature,  and  in  fact  that  body  is  to  do  the  work  of 
reconstruction  almost  as  completely  as  if  they  had  never  had 
a  government.  It  is  about  like  the  change  from  the  colonial 
period  to  that  of  independence.  It  is  certainly  a  new  order 
of  things,  and  one  of  the  great  unlooked  for  results  of  the 
War,  that  many  of  the  important  offices  are  now  being  held 
by  those  who  have  been  goods  and  chattels.  One  of  the 
colored  senators  is  said  to  be  quite  able.  In  the  U.  S. 
Court  room,  most  of  the  assemblage  outside  the  bar  were 
colored,  (and  the  room  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity.  ) 
They  take  a  deep  interest  in  this  matter,  as  they  expect  to 
Vote  in  the  election  of  mayor  in  May.  The  ballot  has 
worked  wonders  in  their  behalf.  They  are  learning  that 
notwithstanding  color  of  the  epidermis,  "a  man's  a  man  for 
a'  that." 

In  the  library  room  a  copy  of  the  resolutions  for  secession 
of  the  State  is  found.  It  contains  the  signatures  of  those 
who  joined  in  it,  and  among  them-  that  of  John  Tyler.  It 
is  suspended  in  the  same  manner,  and  near  the  fac  simile  of 


OX    TO    RICHMOND.  133 

the  Declaration  of  Independence.  It  represents  the  cause 
of  secession  to  be  that  the  government  had  not  kept  faith 
with  them  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  To  save  that  institu- 
tion they  risked  all,  and  now  the  Old  Dominion  has  twenty- 
six  of  the  colored  race  in  her  legislative  halls,  making  laws 
for  the  government  of  their  late  masters.  Many  years  ago 
Jefferson  said,  in  view  of  the  oppressions  of  slavery,  "I 
tremble  for  my  country  when  I  remember  that  God  is  just." 
Now  the  oppressed  are  vindicated,  and  the  employment  of 
our  friend  Dr.  Pettit,  as  conductor  of  the  Underground  Rail- 
road, is  gone. 

FROM  RICHMOND  TO  CHATTANOOGA. 

About  20  miles  east  of  Lynchburg  we  passed  Appomattox 
Court  House,  where  the  memorable  surrender  of  Lee's  army 
took  place.  It  is  100  miles  west  of  Petersburg,  and  not  far 
from  the  same  distance  from  Richmond.  Both  armies  start- 
ed at  nearly  the  same  time,  Lee's  to  reach  the  mountains  of 
the  western  part  of  Virginia,  and  ours  to  intercept  them. 
Gen.  Sheridan  "pushed  things"  in  this  march,  intercepted 
the  retreating  army  of  the  rebels,  and  with  but  little  conflict 
of  arms,  the  terms  ol  surrender  were  agreed  upon  under  an 
apple  tree  about  a  mile  from  the  Court  House.  This  sealed 
the  fate  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  There  is  great 
respect  entertained  here  for  Gen.  Lee,  for  whom  eminent 
ability  is  claimed  as  a  strategist  and  leader  of  their  forces, 
and  also  as  a  high-toned  gentleman.  He  appears  to  stand 
much  higher  than  Davis.  Indeed,  there  is  much  to  admire 
in  the  devotion  of  the  Southerners  to  their  canse,  and  their 
cheerful  submission  to  hardships,  the  loss  of  property,  and  a 
reduction  from  opulence  to  almost  starvation  for  their  cans- 
while  there  was  hope.  In  fact  we  at  the  North  can  scarcely 
have  a  conception  of  what  they  have  endured  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  a  Southern  Confederacy.  A  gentleman  on 
the  cars  said  he  went  to  one  of  the  battle-fields  to  get  a 
wounded  son,  and  took  him  to  a  house  where  had  been 
abundance  and  affluence.  On  asking  for  sustenance  for  the 
weak  and  dying  boy,  he  was  freely  given  the  last  mouthful 


T$4  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES". 

in  the  house,  and  that  a  mere  pittance  of  bacon,  to  sustain1, 
him  till-  he  could  have  other  help.  We  may  admire  this- 
self-sacrificing  spirit,  and  only  regret  that  it  was  called  into 
exercise  to  destroy  the  country  instead  of  to  preserve  it. 

Along  the  Appomattox:  river,  from-  near  Burkeville  to 
Lynchburg,  are  some  fine  farming  lands,  and  tobacco  culture 
was  the  leading  interest  of  the  people  in  former  times.  There 
have  been  about  a  dozen  tobacco  factories  in  Lynchburg, 
but  since  the  War  but  little  of  that  product  has  been  raised, 
and  the  business  of  the  place  has  greatly  declined.  We  are 
told  that  good  farm  lands  can  be  obtained  there  at  from  $15 
to  $25  per  acre.  I  judge  it  is  better  land  than  Eastern 
Virginia.  There  has  been  a  large  emigration  of  colored 
people  from  the  State,  estimated  at  over  30,000,.  during  the 
past  year,  to  the  South.  There  has  formerly  been  a  large 
traffic  in  that  kind  of  labor  with  the  south,,  and  the  planters 
made  it  profitable  to  raise  this  kind  of  property  for  the 
southern  market.  Now  the  emigration  is  voluntary,  for  the 
sake  of  increased  wages.  About  forty  of  these  laborers 
were  in  a  car  on  the  train  with  us,,  bound  for  Mobile,  and 
vast  numbers  have  been  sent  to  Texas.  Agents  are  sent  on 
to  engage  them  and  take  them  to  the  southern  plantations, 
where  labor  is  more  in  demand.  On  the  train  with  us  were 
several  members  of  the  Virginia  Legislature,  with  whom  we 
formed  a  very  pleasant  traveling  acquaintance.  In  the  re- 
Construction  of  their  State,  their  new  constitution  had  been 
modeled  in  a  measure  after  that  of  New  York.  The  State 
had  been  divided  into  judicial  districts,  and  justices  of  the 
Supreme  court  had  been  elected  by  the  Legislature  for  the 
several  districts.  Three  of  our  fellow  travelers  had  been 
elected  to  those  positions,  and  two  had  vacated  their  seats 
as  members  of  the  House  of  Deputies  to  enter  upon  the 
discharge  of  their  judicial  duties.  There  had  heretofore 
been  no  division  into  townships,  and  their  political  organiza- 
tion had  been  by  counties,  of  which  there  were  over  a 
hundred  in  the  State.  The  division  into  towns,  and  the' 
adoption  of  the  system  of  a  Board  of  Supervisors  is  so  much 
of  a  change  from  the  system  heretofore  in  existence  that  it 


•will  take  a  long  time  for  the  people  to  become  familiar  with 
it.  Gov.  Walker  is  from  our  State,  and  we  met  a  member 
at  the  hotel  where  we  stopped  who  was  formerly  from 
Cayuga  county.  So  many  of  the  former  public  men  had 
been  excluded  from  office  by  the  iron  clad  oath,  that  most 
of  the  officers  are  new  men,  there  being  only  six  members 
of  the  Legislature  who  had  before  had  any  Legislative 
experience.  From  the  acquaintance  we  formed  with  the 
newly  elected  judges,  we  should  think  a  good  selection  had 
been  made,  and  that  upright  and  intelligent  -men  had  been 
^elected.  Their  salary  is  fixed  at  $2,000. 

Near  Lynchburg  we  came  again  to  the  valley  of  the  James 
river.  There  is  abundance  of  water  power  here,  and  with 
the  facilities  for  obtaining  coal  and  iron,  this  must  eventually 
become  a  very  important  manufacturing  place.  There  is 
more  tenacity  of  soil  as  we  approach  the  Blue  Ridge,  the 
land  grows  more  fertile  in  appearance,  and  the  adaptation  to 
grazing  improves.  The  peach  trees,  which  were  in  full 
blossom  at  Richmond,  and  which  lined  the  railroad  for  more 
than  loo  miles,  growing  from  the  pits  which  had  been 
thrown  from  the  cars,  and  making  a  most  beautiful  flowery 
way  for  the  travelers,  were  less  forward  as  we  came  into 
more  elevated  and  colder  regions,  the  peach  buds  being 
scarcely  opened.  Here  we  strike  the  great  Southern  Mail 
Route  from  New  York  and  Washington,  being  406  miles 
from  the  former  city,  and  178  from  the  latter. 

From  Lynchburgh  to  Bristol,  201  miles,  we  passed  the 
most  of  the  way  in  the  night,  but  are  informed  there  is  an 
excellent  soil  there,  and  in  some  places  extensive  mineral 
resources.  The  blue  grass,  which  is  so  good  for  grazing,  is 
predominant.  At  Marion,  150  miles  from  Lynchburgh,  are 
large  deposits  of  gypsum,  which  was  mined  for  agricultural 
and  mechanical  purposes.  Ex-Gov.  Bigler,  of  Pennsylvania, 
is  largely  interested  in  these  deposits,  and  was  on  the  train 
with  us  on  his  way  to  this  place,  with  a  view  to  greatly 
increase  the  manufacture  of  Plaster  of  Paris  by  the  erection 
of  extensive  machinery  for  grinding.  It  is  in  convenient 
proximity  to  the  railroad,  and  as  the  deposits  are  inexhaust- 
ible, tnere  is  a  prospect  of  its  becoming  a  large  business,  and 


136  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

a  great  benefit  to  the  State  and  agricultural  region.  From 
Lynchburgh  we  climbed  the  mountains  and  were  now  at 
the  summit.  At  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  reached 
Bristol,  on  the  line  between  Virginia  and  Tennessee.  From 
thence  to  Knoxville,  130  miles,  we  have  a  descending  grade. 
We  strike  Holston  river,  a  branch  of  the  Tennessee,  near 
Rogersville,  and  follow  down  near  this  stream  and  the 
Tennessee  river  to  Chattanooga,  1 1 2  miles  from  Knoxville. 
The  train  makes  rapid  time  on  this  grade,  though  there 
being  but  one  train  per  day  the  stoppages  were  frequent,  but 
short.  Down  this  valley  are  to  appearances  as  fine  farming 
lands  as  are  to  be  found.  We  are  told  that  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  barrels  of  corn  to  the  acre  are  not  an  uncommon 
yield,  and  that  the  same  crop  is  put  in  year  after  year,  with 
little  deterioration  of  product.  At  L,enoir's,  22  miles  from 
Knoxville,  we  saw  a  cotton  factory,  which  had  been  built 
and  running  for  many  years.  The  proprietor  had  a  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  connection,  which  lies  as  finely  as  any  we 
ever  saw.  There  is  a  red  clay  subsoil  to  most  of  the  land 
we  saw  after  crossing  the  Ridge.  The  land  having  been 
plowed  for  the  coming  crop,  had  a  black  mould  appearance, 
similar  to  what  is  seen  on  the  prairies  of  Iowa. 

We  traveled  a  part  of  the  day  with  Mr.  Thomas  McGill, 
Southern  Passenger  Agent  of  the  great  Southern  Mail  Line 
from  New  York,  Baltimore  and  Washington,  to  Atlanta, 
Ga.  He  gave  us  much  information  concerning  the  country 
through  which  we  passed.  We  found  him  very  intelligent 
and  gentlemanly,  and  though  "to  the  manner  born,"  he 
conversed  freely  on  the  situation,  as  did  most  of  those  whom 
we  met.  He  represented  that  the  South  was  recuperating 
rapidly  since  the  war,  and  lands  were  already  being  held 
much  higher  than  they  had  been.  The  city  of  Atlanta  he 
represented  as  having  the  greatest  growth  of  any  city  of  the 
South.  At  the  evacuation  of  Gen.  Sherman  there  was  only 
about  6,000  inhabitants,  and  now  there  are  from  30,000  to 
35,000,  and  it  is  still  growing  rapidly.  He  estimated  that 
at  the  present  rate  of  progress  there  would  be  75,000  popu- 
lation within  ten  years.  One  iron  establishment  employs 


ON   TO   RICHMOND.  137 

340  hands.     These  works  were  built  since  the  war.     About 
i,  800  buildings  were  put  up  in  the  place  last  year. 

Nearly  every  place  we  have  passed  after  crossing  the 
mountains  shows  evidence  of  recuperation  and  progress. 
All  whom  we  have  met  express  a  desire  for  an  influx  of 
immigration  with  mechanical  skill  and  capital.  Their  tools 
and  skilled  labor  must  come  from  the  North,  and  they  desire 
that  there  shall  be  manufactories  of  different  kinds  started 
among  them.  They  have  only  the  rudest  kinds  of  imple- 
ments of  agriculture  of  their  own  manufacture,  and  improve- 
ments of  this  kind  will  be  greatly  to  their  advantage. 


138  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA. 


CHALMETTE  CEMETERY. 

NEW  ORLEANS,  March  6,  1887. 

We  have  just  returned  from  a  trip  to  the  National 
cemetery  at  Chalmette,  some  eight  miles  down  the  Miss- 
issippi, on  the  east  bank.  It  seemed  singular  as  we  rode 
along  the  batik,  to  see  the  water  several  feet  higher  than  the 
land  over  the  levee,  and  to  observe  that  should  a  crevasse 
be  made  the  river  would  overflow  the  adjacent  land  for 
miles.  In  places  we  saw  sluices  through  which  the  water 
flowed  for  irrigation,  the  quantity  regulated  by  a  gate  in  the 
sluice.  The  rice  fields  farther  down  are  flowed  in  this  way, 
after  being  plowed,  when  a  man  on  horseback  rides  around 
in  the  water,  scattering  the  seed,  the  horse  drawing  a  long 
drag  wrhich  covers  it,  and  from  which  springs  the  crop. 
When  matured,  the  water  is  drained  off  and  the  rice  crop  is 
harvested. 

On  our  way  to  the  cemetery  we  pass  the  incomplete  monu- 
ment erected  to  the  memory  of  Andrew  Jackson.  It  is  on  a 
pedestal  of  brick,  evidently  designed  to  be  faced  with  stone, 
and  is  in  form  like  Bunker  Hill  monument  and  is  ascended 
by  winding  stairs  inside.  It  is  some  75  feet  high,  and  was 
probably  designed  to  be  of  more  than  twice  this  height.  It 
is  many  years  since  any  work  has  been  done  on  it.  Here  is 
the  place  at  which  Gen.  Jackson  fought  his  memorable 
battle,  in  which  the  British  were  defeated  and  Gen.  Packen- 
ham  killed.  A  clump  of  live  oaks  a  half  mile  below  indicates 
the  place  where  Packenham  died.  A  long  line  of  earth 
works  indicates  the  line  01  battle  which  the  Confederates  had 
placed  in  order  to  stop  Gen.  Butler*  from  coming  to  the  city 
in  the  late  war,  but  which  they  hastily  abandoned  without 
contest  on  the  approach  of  his  army.  It  is  71  years  on 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  139 

the  8th  of  January  since  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  was 
fought.  Peace  had  already  been  declared  in  December 
previous,  but  no  steamships  or  cable  telegraph  then  carried 
the  news,  or  the  battle  would  not  have  been  fought,  and 
Gen.  Jackson  never  would  have  been  President.  The 
people  of  New  Orleans  still  celebrate  the  anniversary  of  the 
battle  of  New  Orleans,  but  on  the  equestrian  statue  of  the 
old  hero  on  Jackson  Square  opposite  the  old  French  market, 
the  inscription  "The  Union  must  and  shall  be  preserved" 
was  so  completely  obliterated  by  the  rebels  during  the  war, 
that  it  cannot  now  be  read.  On  the  opposite  side  the  in- 
scription is  perfect. 

The  National  cemetery  is  a  beautiful  place,  and  shows 
excellent  care.  Like  all  National  cemeteries  at  the  Sonth, 
the  Nation  guards  with  jealous  care  the  remains  of  the  brave 
men  who  sacrificed  their  lives  in  its  defence.  The  Chalinette 
National  Cemetery  was  established  in  May,  1864.  The 
remains  of  the  dead  soldiers  and  sailors  were  gathered  from 
the  forts  and  battle-fields  for  a  long  distance,  and  from  the 
camps  and  hospitals  in  the  city  during  its  occupancy  by  the 
Union  forces.  There  are  12,273  interments  here,  of  which 
the  names  are  given  on  the  small  white  head  stones  of  6,789, 
while  5,484  are  marked  "unknown."  Those  known  are 
from  all  parts  of  the  Union  States,  and  speak  sad  memories 
of  departed  ones  whose  families  and  friends  gave  them  as  a 
costly  sacrifice  that  the  Union  might  be  preserved. 

A  fine  shell  road  is  now  being  constructed  by  the  govern- 
ment from  the  U.  S.  Barracks  to  the  cemetery,  one  and  a 
half  miles  distant,  so  that  access  to  this  sacred  spot  will  be 
easier  and  pleasanter. 

STRAIGHT  UNIVERSITY. 

With  a  party  of  Northern  people  we  have  just  visited  the 
"Straight  University"  for  colored1  students.  It  was  founded 
by  Dea.  Straight,  of  Hudson,  Ohio.  It  is  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Am.  Missionary  Association,  and  has  also 
aid  from  the  Slater  and  the  Peabody  funds.  Prof.  R.  C. 
Hitchcock,  of  Mass.,  is  President  of  the  institution,  and  has 
a  corps  of  eighteen  professors  and  teachers,  who  take  the 


140  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

pupils  through  all  the  grades  to  graduation  in  the  highest 
classical  course.  There  are  about  450  students,  of  both 
sexes,  who  have  more  than  the  ordinary  advantages  of  a 
Southern  school.  The  pupils  come  from  all  parts  of  the 
South  and  the  West  Indies  and  Mexico.  Some  are  of 
wealthy  families,  but  most  of  them  are  poor,  and  have  to 
struggle  with  indigence  to  obtain  their  education.  It  costs 
$100.  per  year  each  for  their  tuition  and  board,  each  of  the 
girls,  without  regard  to  wealth,  taking  a  part  in  the  work 
of  the  institution.  In  this  way  they  learn  all  the  mysteries 
of  successful  house-keeping,  which  will  be  introduced  into 
the  cabins  of  the  former  slaves,  and  as  most  of  them  will 
become  teachers,  whole  neighborhoods  will  be  imbued  with 
the  progressive  spirit. 

EL  PASO,  Texas,  March  9,  1887. 

Dear  Censor, — We  left  New  Orleans  Monday  morn,  yth, 
and  arrived  here  this  morning.  The  trip  over  the  '  'Sunset 
route' '  is  a  pleasant  one,  and  particularly  adapted  to  this 
season  of  the  year.  In  fact  it  has  become  quite  popular. 
Excursions  go  from  New  Orleans  to  San  Francisco,  with 
stop-over  privileges,  for  $60.  the  round  trip.  One  of  these 
started  on  the  4th  and  another  will  start  on  the  iyth. 
Tickets  are  sold  over  this  route  at  the  same  price  from  New 
York  as  by  other  routes,  and  this  enables  one  to  enjoy  June 
weather  the  whole  trip.  At  New  Orleans  we  had  all  the 
early  vegetables,  with  strawberries,-  and  all  through  Southern 
Louisiana  and  Eastern  Texas  we  had  the  same  pleasant 
atmosphere  and  lovely  skies.  From  New  Orleans  to  the 
Sabine  river,  the  boundary  between  Louisiana  and  Texas, 
about  260  miles,  we  had  a  succession  of  sugar,  cotton  and 
rice  plantations,  similar  to  those  we  saw  from  New  Orleans 
to  Baton  Rouge,  or  nearly  to  Vicksburg.  For  some  200 
miles  in  Eastern  Texas  the  climate  and  productions  are 
similar.  The  soil  is  very  fertile  and  productive,  presenting 
an  appearance  of  fertility  not  unlike  the  Illinois  prairies, 
while  the  climate  renders  the  growing  of  sugar  and  cotton  a 
great  success. 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  141 

The  state  of  Texas  is  more  than  five  times  as  large  as  the 
state  of  New  York,  while  the  population  is  only  about  one- 
fifth  as  great.  In  passing  from  the  Sabine  river  to  El  Paso, 
the  extreme  westerly  point,  we  traveled  about  800  miles. 
Reached  San  Antonio,  577  miles  from  New  Orleans,  on  the 
morning  of  the  second  day.  Here  we  found  a  city  of  22,000 
inhabitants,  and  extensive  military  barracks.  The  Post 
Office  receipts  are  the  largest  in  the  state  except  at  Austin, 
the  capital.  San  Antonio  is  an  old  Spanish  settlement,  the 
oldest  in  the  state.  We  then  passed  into  a  desolate  country, 
nearly  destitute  of  vegetation  except  of  a  most  hardy  kind, 
and  in  appearance  it  would  seem  almost  impossible  to  sustain 
a  bare  subsistence  for  stock  of  any  kind.  They  had  no  rain 
for  seven  months.  The  sky  \vas  without  a  cloud,  and  the 
blazing  sun  had  no  obstruction  to  its  fervent  rays.  But  the 
state  is  so  large,  that  though  less  than  one-thirty-fifth  of  its 
surface  is  cultivated,  yet  it  ranks  first  in  cattle  and  cotton, 
second  in  sugar,  sheep,  mules  and  horses. 

As  wre  pass  along  westward,  the  indications  of  a  former 
civilization  present  themselves.  We  see  the  adobe  abodes 
of  the  Mexicans,  in  which  large  families  are  domiciled  in  a 
house  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  feet  square,  with  flat  roof, 
and  often  without  a  window,  some  cattle,  horses  and  donkeys 
obtaining  a  bare  living  from  the  stinted  and  dry  shrubbery 
around,  and  all  the  surroundings  indicating  but  few  of  the 
comforts  of  life. 

When  about  700  miles  west  of  New  Orleans,  we  came  to 
the  Rio  Grande,  which  forms  the  boundary  between  the 
States  and  Mexico,  from  its  mouth  to  El  Paso.  Here  we  got 
our  first  view  of  the  difficulties  encountered  in  constructing 
the  Southern  Pacific  road.  The  railroad  track  is  cut  into 
the  shelving,  chalky  lime  rock,  which  towers  two  or  three 
hundred  feet  above  it,  and  looks  as  though  it  might  topple 
down  and  crush  the  cars  like  so  many  egg  shells.  Some 
fifty  or  sixty  feet  below  is  the  river,  where  destruction  would 
await  the  train  and  passengers  should  we  be  thrown  from 
the  track.  Now  we  enter  a  tunnel  two  or  three  hundred 
feet  long,  and  pass  over  an  iron  bridge  that  spans  a  gulch 


142  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

far  below.  At  times  we  pass  caverns  of  large  size  which 
have  been  cleaved  from  the  mural  precipice  high  above  the 
passing  train.  Again  the  precipitous  rock  projects  like 
Titan's  pier  or  the  Giant's  causeway,  in  horizontal  strata 
tier  on  tier  to  a  dizzy  height,  all  appearing  as  though  a 
slight  trembling  might  jar  the  great  masses  to  the  depths 
below.  By  what  forces  of  nature  these  precipitous  rocks 
were  piled  upon  each  other  in  such  apparently  unstable 
positions,  was  to  us  an  unfathomable  mystery.  There  were 
1 8  miles  of  this  over-hanging  rock,  through  which  the  road 
passes,  upon  which  3,000  men  were  engaged  for  18  months 
night  and  day,  and  the  cost  of  the  road  was  $100,000  per 
mile  through  this  canon.  All  this  distance  the  road  is 
constantly  ascending,  till  it  reaches  an  elevation  of  over 
5,000  feet. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  from  New  Orleans,  we 
reached  El  Paso,  1,200  miles  distant.  Our  friend  Joseph 
Shepard,  of  Chicago,  gave  us  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Mr. 
Roman,  the  Express  agent  here,  from  whom  we  received 
kind  attentions  and  were  shown  over  the  city.  It  contains 
some  6,000  population,  about  half  of  which  are  Americans 
from  all  the  different  states,  and  the  other  moiety  are 
Mexicans,  or  descendants  of  Spanish  and  Indians  who  live 
in  adobe  houses,  as  they  have  done  for  centuries  past.  The 
Americans  residents  show  a  large  amount  of  enterprise  and 
the  city  is  growing  rapidly.  It  is  at  the  extreme  western 
eid  of  Texas,  and  is  increasing  in  irnportance.  The  Rio 
Grande  is  now  a  small  stream  here  and  could  be  easily 
crossed  by  wading  but  it  bears  the  marks  on  the  banks  of 
being  quite  large  when  the  snow  melts  on  the  mountains  of 
California,  where  it  has  its  rise.  The  floods  appear  about 
June,  as  it  takes  a  long  time  for  high  water  to  reach  here 
from  such  a  distance.  There  are  fine  stores  here,  some 
half-dozen  churches,  court  house,  school  houses,  two  daily 
papers,  and  a  good  beginning  for  a  prosperous  city.  The 
railroad  to  the  city  of  Mexico  runs  from  El  Paso,  and  also 
the  Atchison  and  Santa  Fe  route  connects  here. 

The  water  works  of  El  Paso  are  very  fine.     The   water  is 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  143 

pumped  up  from  the  river  to  a  high  elevation  far  above  the 
city,  and  gives  great  pressure  for  fire  purposes.  The  U.  S. 
barracks  contain  two  companies  of  infantry.  The  buildings 
are  of  adobe,  nicely  fhrnished,  plastered  and  whitewashed, 
and  are  very  comfortable.  The  U.  S.  Consul  on  the 
Mexican  side  also  lives  here  in  an  adobe  house. 

We  visited  the  Mexican  city  of  El  Paso  del  Norte,  across 
the  river,  which  is  reached  by  an  international  street  rail- 
road and  cars  passing  every  15  minutes.  The  Mexican 
Custom  House  officer  invited  Mrs.  M.  to  open  her  satchel 
when  we  crossed  the  river,  to  see  that  she  was  not  smuggling. 
He  performed  his  official  duties  very  politely  by  motions,  as 
he  did  not  speak  English. 

We  called  on  the  Consul  on  the  Mexican  side,  Judge 
Brigham,  with  whom  we  had  a  pleasant  chat.  He  says  the 
business  between  this  country  and  Mexico  is  rapidly  in- 
creasing, and  is  now  about  ten  millions  a  year,  mostly  in 
silver  bullion,  hides  &c.  It  had  increased  from  three 
millions  since  he  came  here. 

This  afternoon  we  took  a  carriage  with  Mr.  Roman  and 
drove  over  the  Mexican  city,  through  all  the  pnncipal 
streets,  where  some  of  the  adobe  dwellings  and  business 
places  presented  a  good  appearance,  though  all  were  unique, 
and  showed  that  they  were  in  a  foreign  country.  The  soil 
is  rich,  and  is  made  to  produce  largely  by  irrigation — the 
only  way  a  crop  can  be  obtained.  The  El  Paso  grape  is 
extensively  grown  and  has  a  wide  reputation.  Numerous 
goats  are  kept  here  for  their  milk,  for  they  will  live  where 
cows  will  starve,  as  but  little  forage  can  be  obtained.  We 
visited  an  old  Catholic  church,  which  was  erected  some  350 
years  ago.  It  was  made  of  adobe,  the  walls  about  lour  feet 
thick,  tower  and  all  built  of  the  same  material.  The  paint- 
ings were  not  artistic,  and  the  general  appearance  was  far 
less  imposing  than  the  old  Cathedral  in  St.  Augustine, 
Florida.  The  timbers  of  the  ceiling  were  ornamented,  and 
everything  showed  marks  of  great  antiquity.  The  plaza  is 
not  attractive,  though  judging  from  the  large  number  of 
seats  around,  it  is  evidently  a  place  of  considerable  resort. 


i44  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

Near  this  was  the  arena  of  the  bull  fights,  which  are  in- 
dulged in  as  in  all  Spanish  countries.  We  were  very  glad 
of  the  opportunity  of  visiting  this  ancient  and  renowned 
Mexican  city.  It  has  many  American  residents,  who  cross 
the  river  for  church  services  and  schools.  Only  one  Catholic 
church  is  on  the  Texas  side,  and  that  is  of  small  dimensions, 
and  not  well  cared  for. 

SAN  GORGONIO,  Cal.,  March  12,  1887. 

Dear  Censor: — We  arrived  here  yesterday,  a  distance  of 
nearly  2,000  miles  from  New  Orleans.  The  distance  from 
El  Paso,  Texas,  through  New  Mexico  and  Arizona  to  this 
place,  which  is  some  80  miles  from  L,os  Angeles,  is  about 
750  miles.  The  highest  point  reached  is  5,082  feet  above 
sea  level,  and  is  some  200  miles  east  of  El  Paso.  New 
Mexico  has  furnished  since  it  became  U.  S.  territory  in  1846, 
in  gold  and  silver  over  twenty  million  dollars  in  value,  more 
than  two  thirds  of  which  has  been  in  gold.  Santa  Fe  was 
settled  by  the  Spaniards  more  than  300  years  ago,  long 
before  New  England  was  trodden  by  the  feet  of  the  Pilgrims, 
and  though  abounding  in  mineral  wealth,  has  had  but  a 
slight  development  as  compared  with  the  bleak  lands  of  the 
East.  This  shows  that  something  beside  the  precious 
metals  are  necessary  to  make  a  nation  rich  and  prosperous. 
The  population  is  about  120,000,  of  which  some  10,000  are 
Indians.  The  vast  plains  through  which  the  road  passes 
present  far  from  an  attractive  appearance.  The  cactus  and 
small  shrubs  are  the  principal  products,  though  where  the 
land  is  susceptible  of  irrigation  large  crops  may  be  produced. 
The  territory  now  contains  more  than  1,500  miles  of  rail- 
road, all  constructed  since  1878.  The  valleys  of  the  rivers 
and  streams  where  irrigation  can  be  had  are  quite  fertile, 
but  the  vast  extent  of  country  over  plains  and  up  the 
mountain  sides  presents  no  signs  of  verdure  except  the 
stunted  growth  of  shrubs  sparsely  scattered  over  the  arid 
plains. 

From  New  Mexico  we  pass  into  Arizona,  which  was  set 
off  from  New  Mexico  as  a  territory  in  1863.  The  Southern 


FROM  N~E\V  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  14$ 

Pacific  passes  about  350  miles  in  this  territory,  much  of 
•which  we  passed  in  the  night,  but  so  far  as  we  could  observe 
there  was  a  sameness  with  New  Mexico  that  was  almost 
painful.  Sno\v  on  the  mountains  was  seen  on  either  hand 
as  we 'passed  rapidly  along,  while  on  the  plains  where  we 
were  traveling  it  was  hot  and  dusty,  and  the  scenery  was 
far  from  being  attractive.  Of  its  80,000  inhabitants,  30,000 
live  by  stock  raising  and  farming. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  our  trip  from  New  Orleans  we  pass- 
ed the  Colorado  River  at  Yuma,  into  Lower  California.  We 
were  now  on  the  down  grade,  and  the  scenery  began 
.gradually  to  change.  The  breeze  from  the  ocean  was  cool 
and  refreshing,  and  verdure  appeared  in  the  valleys  and 
mountain  sides.  San  Gorgonio  Pass  is  2,560  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  The  valley  which  spreads  out  beneath  is 
one  of  the  most  attractive  places  we  have  seen  for  more  than 
two  thousand  miles. 

Here  we  met  Mr.  Albert  H.  Judson  and  wife,  who  will  be 
pleasantly  remembered  by  Fredonia  people,  and  on  whom 
fortune  has  smiled  benificently  since  they  came  to  the 
Pacific  shore.  He  left  Fredonia  some  fifteen  years  ago, 
located  in  Los  Angeles,  and  engaged  in  his  profession  of  the 
law,  and  in  real  estate  business.  His  home  here  is  near  the 
foot  hills  of  the  mountains  about  five  miles  away  from  the 
railroad  station,  where  he  has  about  i , 700  acres  of  choice 
land,  where  he  cultivates  the  grape,  the  prune,  and  olive,  as 
well  as  grain,  grasses  and  everything  necessary  for  comfort 
and  enjoyment.  From  our  room  we  see  the  mignonette, 
marigold,  verbenas,  a  variety  of  geraniums  and  other 
flowers,  which  perfume  the  air  with  their  fragrance,  while 
apparently  not  five  miles  away  on  either  side  are  mountains 
covered  with  snow,  and  altogether  presenting  a  scene  of 
beauty  which  is  indescribable.  A  vineyard  of  more  than 
twenty  years  growth,  planted  by  the  former  Spanish  settlers, 
yields  an  abundance  of  fruit  in  its  season.  The  vines  are 
not  trellised  like  ours,  but  grow  up  about  two  or  three  feet 
high  and  throw  out  their  branches  which  are  cut  back  each 


146  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

year  after  the  fruit  has  matured.  The  climate  is  peculiar- 
ly adapted  to  fruit,  the  limit  of  temperature  being  between 
29  degrees  and  about  90.  The  most  delicate  flowers  grow 
in  the  open  air  without  suffering  from  the  frost.  Mr.  J.  nas 
ordered  500  olive  trees,  500  almond,  some  pomegranates  of 
a  fine  variety,  1,000  cherry  trees,  fig  trees,  oranges,  apricots, 
etc.,  all  of  which  do  well  here. 

The  olive  is  very  profitable.  It  begins  to  bear  in  five 
years  from  setting,  and  he  mentioned  a  farm  near  Colton 
which  produced  from  $500  to  $2,000  value  per  acre,  in- 
creasing as  the  trees  attained  their  growth.  All  this  valley 
of  San  Gorgonio  is  well  adapted  to  all  kinds  of  fruit,  and 
the  many  thousands  of  acres  hemmed  in  by  mountains  now 
covered  with  snow,  have  perpetual  verdure.  We  are  now 
about  100  miles  from  the  ocean,  about  2,500  feet  elevation 
above  the  sea,  where  the  air  is  so  clear  that  the  snow  covered 
mountains,  some  ten  to  twenty  miles  away,  appear  as  if 
they  could  be  reached  by  three  or  four  hours  walk.  For 
salubrity  the  climate  is  unexcelled.  The  wheat  requires 
sowring  but  once  in  two  or  three  years,  reseeding  itself,  the 
"volunteer"  being  almost  equal  to  the  first  crop. 

SAN  DIEGO,  Cal.,  March  18,  1887. 

Dear  Censor: — We  arrived  here  from  Colton  on  the  evening 
of  the  1 6th.  Having  a  little  time  we  made  a  trip  to  River- 
side, some  seven  miles  from  Colton,  which  is  called  the  most 
delightful  place  in  this  part  of  the  state.  It  is  celebrated  for 
its  fruit  .and  the  beauty  of  its  grounds.  The  plan  is  laid  out 
most  beautifully,  and  fine  residences  and  artistic  surround- 
ings give  a  charm  to  the  place.  It  contains  about  3,000 
inhabitants,  and  has  had  a  rapid  growth.  The  trip  from 
Colton  to  this  city  was  a  most  delightful  one.  It  is  included 
in  the  excursion  by  the  sunset  route  at  a  small  extra  charge. 
We  pass  through  miles  of  canyon,  with  precipitous  rocky 
upheavals  above  and  below  us,  the  tortuous  windings 
veering  to  nearly  every  point  of  compass.  A  stream  rushes 
over  the  rocky  bed,  over  which  the  track  crosses  several 
times,  with  here  and  there  a  level  interval,  sufficiently  large 
for  a  dwelling  and  fruit  orchard.  The  fruit  trees  are  in  full 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  147 

blossom,  and  the  wild  shrubbery  on  the  precipitous  rocks, 
presented  a  strange  contrast  with  the  scenery  we  had  passed 
through  on  the  last  part  of  our  trip  in  Texas.  After  passing 
several  miles  through  this  wild  scenery,  we  emerged  on  a 
broad  plain  of  apparently  great  fertility.  It  was  a  large 
ranch  known  as  the  Flood  ranch,  of  many  thousand  acres, 
on  which  it  was  said  40,000  cattle  are  kept.  We  soon  came 
in  sight  of  the  Pacific  ocean,  whose  broad  expanse  was  in 
sight  for  many  miles  before  reaching  this  city. 

It  was  nearly  eight  o'clock  when  we  arrived.  Here  we 
met  Col.  Barrell,  who  had  preceded  us,  and  had  kindly 
engaged  a  place  for  our  entertainment.  We  spent  yesterday 
in  looking  about  the  city.  We  were  surprised  at  its  modern 
and  progressive  appearance.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  cities  of 
Western  Mexico,  but  the  old  town  is  some  three  miles  away. 
This  San  Diego  is  entirely  modern,  has  its  large  hotels,  its 
street  car  lines  extending  many  miles,  its  churches  and 
school  houses,  large  and  commodious  business  houses,  and 
hundreds  of  temporary  abodes  to  accommodate  the  rush  of 
people  who  will  soon  have  more  permanent  domiciles,  all  of 
which  show  its  rapid  growth  and  prosperity.  In  1880  the 
population  was  about  3,000.  The  census  just  completed 
shows  11,307  of  which  the  Union  says  5,000  has  been  added 
within  eleven  months.  In  every  direction  are  new  build- 
ings, and  the  sale  of  real  estate  is  lively.  Fortunes  are 
being  made  by  these  transactions.  It  is  anticipated  that 
there  will  be  18,000  to  20,000  population  in  two  or  three 
years.  They  have  just  got  a  city  charter  and  are  preparing 
for  all  the  paraphernalia  of  a  metropolis. 

As  a  health  resort,  claims  are  made  for  this  being  the 
best  on  the  coast.  The  rain  fall  is  only  about  10  inches  per 
year,  with  an  average  of  only  34  rainy  days  annually. 

It  is  now  two  weeks  since  we  came  into  the  Pacific  slope, 
and  we  have  not  had  what  in  Chautauqua  County  would  be 
called  a  cloudy  day,  only  a  few  fleecy  clouds  appearing 
toward  evening  on  two  or  three  days  since  our  arrival. 

The  harbor  of  San  Diego  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world. 
A  bay  in  crescent  form  indents  behind  a  peninsula  22  miles 


-t^>  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

long/ where  the  largest  ships  may  find  safe  anchorage.  This; 
peninsula  is  reached  by  street  cars  from  the  city  to  the  ferry,, 
then  by  steam  ferry  boat  across  the  harbor,  where  a  train 
drawn  by  a  dummy  engine  takes  us  across  the  land  to  the 
pacific  shore.  These  grounds  are  laid  out  into  building 
lots,  intersected  by  streets  and  avenues,  and  all  kinds  of 
trees  and  shrubbery  planted.  The  U.  S.  Signal  Service 
reports  that  for  ten  years  to  1886  there  were  only  two  days, 
i-n  any  one  month  in  which  the  thermometer  marked  over  85 
deg.  and  the  days  in  which  it  goes  below  40  deg.  are  as  few. 
The  soil  is  very  rich,  and  one  crop  can  always  be  obtained 
without  irrigation,  but  more  than-  that  requires  an  artificial 
supply  of  moisture.  The  Coronado  Beach  on  the  ocean  side 
of  the  peninsula,  is  said  to  have  the  most  charming  climate 
in  the  world.  The  average  temperature  of  the  year  is  70 
deg.  The  average  temperature  for  January  for  1 2  years,, 
was  at  7  a,  m.  48  deg.,  at  3  p.  m,  60.4  deg.  at  n  p.  m. 
52.6,  July:  63.  5,  72.2,  65.6.  A  large  hotel  is  being  built 
with  1800  feet  front,  with  over  500  rooms,  and  to  have  7*^ 
acres  of  flooring.  It  is  to  be  the  Coney  Island  of  the  Pacific 
coast.  The  company  making  these  improvements  is 
organized  with  a  capital  of  a  million.  Every  kind  of  busi- 
ness is  lively,  and  real  estate  agencies  are  found  on  nearly 
every  street.  The  city  is  spreading  rapidly,  and  buildings 
are  going  up  in  every  direction.  Wages  are  high,  carpenters 
getting  $3.50  per  day,  plasterers  $5.,  and  other  skilled  labor 
in  proportion,  while  unskilled  labor  commands  $2.  per  day. 

Among  the  former  Fredonians  we  have  met  here  are  Miss 
Emma  Chapin,  who  will  be  remembered  as  a  teacher  in 
Dist.  No.  8,  Jesse  Tate,  a  former  typo  in  the  Censor  office, 
Mrs.'  J.  S.  Wright,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  H.  P.  Perrin,  and  also 
from  the  county,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  of  Jamestown,  who 
are  on  their  way  to  San  Francisco. 

At  Colton  we  met  Dr.  Hutchinson,  who  is  practicing  in 
his  profession  there,  and  who  has  completely  recovered  his 
health  in  that  delightful  salubrious  climate  1,000  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  We  have  seen  many  people  since  we 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  149 

arrived   on  this  side  of  the   continent,  who   came   for  their 
health,  and  mostly  have  had  success. 

SOUTH  PASADENA,  Cal.,  March  24,  1887. 

Dear  Censor: — It  is  now  nearly  two  weeks  since  we 
arrived  in  the  Sunset  State  and  our  expectations  have  been 
more  than  realized.  We  get  an  idea  here  of  the  energy  and 
enterprise  of  the  American  peopie,  and  also  of  their  power  of 
assimilation.  By  the  treaty  signed  July  4,  1848,  by  James 
K.  Polk,  President,  and  J.  Buchanan,  Sec'y  of  State,  an 
extent  of  territory  equal  to  fifteen  large  states  was  ceded  to 
the  United  States,  in  addition  to  that  previously  annexed 
from  Mexico  in  Texas,  which  is  equal  to  five  states  larger 
than  the  State  of  New  York,  making  in  all  more  than  the 
territory  of  twenty  large  states  taken  from  Mexico  and 
added  to  the  National  domain.  The  last  accession  was  from 
32  deg.  N.  latitude  to  42  deg.,  the  southern  boundary  of 
Oregon,  and  about  15  deg.  east  and  west,  making  700 
miles  north  and  south,  and  900  miles  east  and  west,  or 
630,000  square  miles  of  this  vast  territory.  We  find  the 
following  in  Mansfield's  history  of  the  Mexican  war,  publish- 
ed nearly  forty  years  ago: 

"But  will  the  greater  part  of  this  vast  space  ever  be  in- 
habited by  any  but  the  restless  hunter  and  the  wandering 
trapper  ?  Two  hundred  thousand  square  miles  of  this  terri- 
tory in  New  California  has  been  trod  by  the  feet  of  no 
civilized  being.  No  spy  or  pioneer  or  vagrant  trapper  has 
ever  returned  to  report  the  character  of  this  vast  and  lonely 
wilderness.  Two  hundred  thousand  square  miles  more  are 
occupied  with  broken  mountains  and  dreary  wilds.  But 
little  remains  then  for  civilization." 

By  the  annexation  of  Mexican  territory,  our  country  has 
become  the  greatest  gold  and  silver  producing  country  in 
the  world.  In  former  times  the  coin  of  the  country  was 
Mexican  and  Spanish,  postage  was  collected  in  Spanish 
currency,  ranging  at  6^  cts.,  12)^,  18^,  and  25  cts.  all  to 
represent  the  silver  coin  then  in  circulation.  Now  the 
great  coin  supply  of  the  world  is  from  the  Pacific  States  and 


MISCELLANIES'. 

territories,  and  much  the  largest  from  California,  which,  up1 
to  1883  supplied  $726,000,000  to  the  U.  S.  Mint  and  assay 
offices.  In  no  part  of  the  country  has  the  population 
increased  more  rapidly  and  improvements  progressed  faster.. 
Even  now  the  trains  are  filled  with  tourists  and  emigrants,, 
most  of  them  seeking  homes  in  the  new  states. 

So  far  as  we  have  observed,  every  part  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia is-  having  a  boom-.  People  from  the  North  are  trans- 
ported here  from  a  hyperborean  climate  of  snow  and  blizzards- 
to  a  land  of  almost  perpetual  sunshine  and  verdure.  The 
transition  seems  almost  magical.  We  have  heard  it  said 
that  the  western  side  of  a  continent  is  always  milder  than 
the  eastern.  Whether  it  is  due  to  the  trade  winds  or  to 
other  causes,  the  fact  is  obvious.  The  west  of  Europe  has- 
a  far  milder  climate  than  the  eastern  side  .of  America  in  the 
same  latitude,  and  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  are  far  milder 
than  the  same  latitude  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  In  coming 
from  New  Orleans  here,  we  find  the  fruit  more  tropical  on 
the  Pacific  coast  than  on  the  Atlantic  or  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  a  greater  variety  produced.  The  soil  is  also  much  more 
productive  than  in  Florida,  and  the  climate  far  more  uniform. 
The  Pacific  slope  wyhere  the  soil  is  made  by  attrition  of  the 
mountain  sides,  is  very  productive  and  inexhaustible  while 
the  white  sandy  soil  of  Florida  requires  fertilization.  The 
orange  trees  here  become  productive  in  three  or  four  years 
from  setting,  and  get  in  their  prime  in  six  or  eight  years. 
They  seem  to  yield  a  greater  amount  of  fruit.  We  saw  in 
one  field  at  Pasadena,  yesterday,  trees  so  loaded  with 
oranges  as  to  require  supports  to  keep  them  from  breaking, 
but  we  should  guess  more  than  fifty  bushels  were  lying  on 
the  ground  and  decaying,  just  as  we  see  apples  in  the  North 
in  the  fall. 

The  West  has  greatly  changed  within  a  generation. 
Our  grand-fathers  and  fathers  spoke  of  going  west  when 
Western  New  York  was  the  destination.  Their  children 
spoke  of  the  country  west  of  the  Lakes  or  the  Mississippi  as 
the  West,  Now  it  means  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
The  aboriginees  of  the  country  have  been  persuaded  to  go 


"FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  1J1 

•west,  till  but  comparatively  a  small  spot  on  the  continent  is 
reserved  for  them,  and  the  Mexicans  who  once  had  posses- 
sion of  this  territory  have  become  insignificant  in  proportion 
to  the  present  population.  At  no  time  in  its  history  has 
population  flowed  in  so  rapidly.  Four  lines  of  trans 
continental  railroad  are  engaged  in  carrying  tourists,  emi- 
grants and  products  between  the  east  and  \vest.  California 
seems  to  be  more  congenial  than  Florida,  and  the  tide  is 
fast  turning  in  this  direction.  Excursion  trains  come  in 
freighted  with  tourists,  who  seek  riddance  of  the  snows  and 
storms  of  New  England  and  the  Northern  States.  The 
Southern  Pacific  affords  them  a  mild  climate  the  whole 
distance.  Here  they  find  fruits  and  flowers  the  year  round. 
\Vc  are  now  having  the  verdure  of  May  and  June,  and  the 
fruits  of  October  and  November.  The  orange  trees  are  in 
full  blossom  and  at  the  same  time  loaded  with  golden  fruit. 
Vegetables  can  be  gathered  from  the  ground  at  any  time, 
and  need  no  storage  for  winter.  We  hardly  know  the 
season  of  the  year  from  the  climate,  and  must  consult  the 
almanac  to  ascertain. 

Last  New  Years' s  about  400  lowans  held  a  picnic  in  the 
open  air  at  Lincoln  Park,  near  here  where  they  had  a  gay 
time  in  their  ordinary  summer  clothing.  Every  house  is 
full  and  many  are  living  in  tents  till  more  permanent  dwell- 
ings can  be  erected.  The  Raymond  House,  located  near 
here,  is  full,  and  some  excursion  trains  fail  to  find  accom- 
modations for  their  passengers.  It  is  situated  on  a  beautiful 
rise  of  ground,  commanding  a  view  of  the  sea,  of  snow 
covered  mountains  and  expansive  valleys  full  of  fruits, 
flowers  and  verdure.  It  was  built  by  a  Boston  gentleman 
at  an  expense  of  $320,000  and  we  have  been  told  that  some 
320  guests  are  now  entertained  there.  Among  these  are 
Judge  and  Mrs.  Barker  of  Fredonia.  The  house  is  princi- 
pally patronized  by  New  England  people,  who  come  on 
excursions  to  enjoy  this  hospitable  climate.  In  every 
direction  new  buildings  are  being  erected,  grading  being 
done,  streets  laid  out]  and  the  foundations^  laid  for  large 
cities.  Of  course  when  land  is  sold  for  $  1,000  per  acre  or 


152  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

more,  it  will  hardly  pay  for  investment  for  farming  purposes. 
The  intention  of  the  purchasers  is  either  for  speculation  in 
selling  again  or  for  a  home  in  this  healthful  climate,  with  an 
income  from  business  here  or  abroad  for  support.  It  costs 
no  more  to  live  here  than  at  the  East,  except  the  expense  of 
a  house  or  rent,  which  at  present  is  much  higher. 

In  all  the  places  where  we  have  been  there  is  a  boom 
progressing.  In  San  Gorgonio  it  had  just  begun,  but  there 
is  a  fair  inducement  for  it  to  grow.  The  high  elevation  of 
2,500  above  the  sea,  will  always  make  sure  a  pure  and 
healthful  atmosphere,  while  the  slope  toward  the  Pacific 
will  always  make  a  semi-tropical  climate  a  certainty.  At 
Colton,  where  Dr.  Hutchinson  kindly  showed  us  the 
beautiful  and  extensive  orange  groves,  there  is  every  prospect 
of  growth  and  prosperity.  Colton  is  quite  a  railroad  center 
and  cannot  fail  to  grow.  That  it  is  a  healthy  place  he 
presents  the  best  proof  in  himself,  having  tried  Fredonia, 
Florida,  and  Los  Angeles,  and  finally  finding  the  right 
'atmosphere  where  he  now  lives,  900  feet  above  the  sea. 
San  Bernardino,  some  five  miles  from  Golton,  is  now  having 
a  boom,  and  from  being  a  small  Mormon  settlement  of 
seceders  from  the  Joe  Smith  adherents,  has  become  a  place 
of  6,000  population,  and  is  growing  faster  than  ever. 

SOUTH  PASADENA,  March  28,  1887. 

Dear  Censor: — It  is  one  week  to-day  since  we  arrived 
here.  Each  day  the  weather  has  been  clear  and  pleasant, 
no  wind  above  a  gentle  breeze,  and  the  air  as  clear  and  pure 
as  in  a  pleasant  October  day.  Yesterday  p.  m.  we  climbed  a 
mountain  where  we  had  as  fine  a  view  of  the  landscape  as 
could  be  obtained  from  Holyoke  or  Nonatuck,  but  vastly 
more  grand.  Far  in  the  distance,  say  thirty  miles  away,  is 
"Old  Baldy"  9,000  feet  high,  with  a  cap  of  glistening  snow 
extending  far  down  its  sides,  and  to  the  right  still  farther 
away  the  Sanjacinto  mountains,  also  covered  with  snow, 
which  will  remain  till  June  or  July.  Within  six  or  ten  miles 
of  us  are  mountains  in  every  direction,  with  streams  flowing 
down  the  gorges  which  furnish  irrigation  to  the  fields  below. 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  153 

The  Los  Angeles  and  San  Gabriel  valley,  extending  many 
miles  up  among  the  mountains,  is  one  of  exceeding  fertility. 
Within  five  or  six  miles  of  us  is  the  city  of  Pasadena,  which 
five  years  ago  was  but  a  hamlet  with  here  and  there  a  Mex- 
ican adobe  house,  and  the  fertile  lands  mostly  unoccupied. 
Now  there  are  more  than  6000  inhabitants,  some  ten  miles 
of  street  railroads,  churches  of  every  denomination,  large  and 
elegant  blocks  of  stores  and  business  places,  and  land  selling 
by  the  front  foot  instead  of  by  the  acre.  A  lot  for  a  dwelling 
50  by  1 60,  but  within  half  a  mile  from  the  post  office,  sells 
for  $750  to  $1,500.  and  lots  are-  getting  higher  ever)-  day, 
each  rise  heightening  the  expectations  of  the  dealers  in  real 
estate. 

Scattered  over  the  expanse  for  miles  are  groves  of  orange 
trees  now  loaded  with  the  golden  fruit  and  covered  with 
fragrant  white  blossoms,  the  harbingers  of  the  next  year's 
crop.  It  takes  the  oranges  about  one  year  to  grow  and 
mature,  hence  fruit  and  flowers  mingle  in  luxuriant  pro- 
fusion on  the  same  tree.  There  are  never  any  violent  storms 
of  rain  or  wind  to  injure  the  fruit;  oranges  hold  tenaciously 
to  the  tree  and  are  suffered  to  remain  there  till  about  April, 
when  they  are  gathered  and  shipped  to  market.  There  are 
also  large  orchards  of  apricots,  prunes,  peaches,  pears, 
olives,  and  nuts,  also  large  vineyards,  all  doing  well. 
Scattered  here  and  there  are  large  live  oaks  with  low  spread- 
ing branches,  furnishing  delightful  retreats  from  the  warm 
rays  of  the  mid-day  sun.  One  of  these  standing  near  Mr. 
H.  G.  Wilson's  residence  we  measured  and  found  an 
expanse  of  more  than  sixty  feet  of  noonday  shade.  The 
soil  here  is  very  deep,  having  been  brought  from  the  moun- 
tain side  for  centuries,  and  has  equal  fertility  if  brought  to 
the  surface  for  perhaps  100  feet  below. 

There  are  drawbacks  in  every  location  and  this  is  not 
without  them.  People  from  New  England  who  settle  on 
the  fertile  prairies  of  the  west  long  for  a  sight  of  the  green 
hills  and  mountain  peaks,  the  sparkling  rills  and  pebbly 
brooks,  and  yet  would  not  exchange  their  garden  lands  for 


154  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  stone  walled  farms  in  New  England.  Beauty  of  land- 
scape is  often  sacrificed  for  fertility  of  soil,  and  health  of 
people.  But  here  the  drawbacks  are  few.  People  die  here 
as  everywhere,  but  the  clear  air  and  sunshine  for  more  than 
300  days  in  the  year  are  favorable  to  those  of  pulmonary 
tendency,  and  many  people  whom  we  have  seen,  who  were 
hopeless  of  recovery  at  the  east,  have  become  invigorated 
and  robust  in  this  climate.  We  are  constantly  reminded 
that  "dust  thou  art  and  to  dust  shalt  thou  return."  Six  or 
seven  months  in  succession  without  rain  and  with  very  little 
dew,  is  one  of  the  drawbacks,  but  the  people  here  are  not 
troubled  with  the  lightning  rod  men,  as  there  are  no  thunder 
showers,  which  is  some  offset.  Then  they  have  to  make 
no  cellars,  which  diminishes  the  expense  of  building.  The 
potatoes  are  dug  from  the  ground  as  wanted  in  any  season 
of  the  year:  We  have  had  strawberries  for  some  time  and 
learn  that  they  are  to  be  had  every  month  till  December. 
Mr.  Gates  showed  us  two  sweet  potatoes  which  he  had  just 
dug,  which  grew  without  care  from  last  year's  planting; 
one  of  these  measured  15  inches  in  length  and  12  inches  in 
circumference.  Once  planted  they  grow  voluntarily  year 
after  year  from  the  rootlets  left  in  the  ground. 

The  lumber  used  here  is  the  pine  from  Oregon  and  the 
redwood  from  this  state.  The  coarse  lumber  costs  about 
$25  per  m.  and  clear  redwood  from  $30  to  $35.  It  is  brought 
by  vessels  down  the  coast.  There  is  scarcely  any  timber 
suitable  for  sawing  in  this  region,  thougn  the  eucalyptus  or 
the  Australian  gum  tree  grows  very  rapidly.  One  on  Mr. 
Gates'  premises  set  three  years  ago  is  over  30  feet  high. 
Fuel  is  quite  high  though  but  little  is  used. 

It  is  the  expectation  that  most  of  the  eligible  places  will 
be  purchased  for  residences  by  eastern  people  who  wish  to 
enjoy  the  California  climate  in  winter.  Many  beautiful 
residences  adorn  the  elevated  landscape  and  the  profusion 
of  shrubs  and  flowers  now  in  full  bloom ,  gives  a  charming 
appearance.  Roses,  geraniums,  wtsteria  and  blossoms  of 
every  kind,  growing  profusely  without  protection  through 


FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA.  155 

the  winter,  make  a  singular  impression  on  those  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  overcoats,  mittens  and  constant  coal 
fires  for  six  months  in  the  year.  Here  every  day  on  the 
open  verandah  is  enjoyed,  though  the  noontide  heat  is  a 
little  oppressive.  The  nights  are  cloudless,  cool  and  refresh- 
ing, and  the  gentle  breeze  from  the  ocean  is  a  restorative  of 
vigor  from  depressions  of  the  heat  of  the  day. 

We  were  told  yesterday  by  the  editor  of  the  'Star'  that 
there  is  more  wealth  in  Pasadena  in  proportion  to  popula- 
tion than  any  other  place  in  Caliiornia,  and  that  more  than 
twenty  millionaires  are  residents  here.  The  beautiful 
residences  and  spacious  grounds  laid  out  in  artistic  taste, 
justify  this  opinion.  People  of  large  wealth  and  cultivation 
come  here  to  enjoy  the  mild  climate,  and  bring  large 
possessions  with  them.  The  attendance  at  the  churches 
and  the  appearance  of  the  audiences  show  a  refined  and 
cultivated  population,  and  the  streets,  walks,  and  street 
railroads,  and  business  places,  show  a  large  degree  of  public 
spirit. 

We  are  more  than  pleased  with  this  our  first  visit  to  the 
State. 


1 56  EDITORIAL   MISCEXLANTESv 


VICKSBURG. 


,  Miss.,  March  4,  1887, 

A  trip  from  New  Orleans  up  the  Mississippi  Valley  is  a 
tiiost  delightful  one.  A  distance  of  250  miles  takes  us  from 
the  largest  city  of  the  South  to  the  largest  in  the  state  of 
Mississippi,  Soon  after  leaving  the  Crescent  City,  we  pass* 
the  rice  and  sugar-cane  fields,  which  are  seen,  in  constant 
succession  for  some  fifty  miles.  The  soil  is  rich  and  fertile, 
and  for  miles  away  almost  as  level  as  a  floor.  The  trees 
and  shrubs  are  already  green  with  foliage,  'and  the  white 
clover  in  full  blossom  shows  an  advance  in  the  season  of 
fully  two  months  over  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie.  We  passed 
thousands  of  acres  of  sugar  plantations,  and  the  darkey  men 
and  women  were  out  in  full  force  in  squads  of  20  to  50, 
preparing  the  ground  for  the  coming  crop.  One  wealthy 
planter,  by  whose  grounds  we  passed,  had  five  sugar  planta- 
tions, each  with  machinery  and  faculties  for  the  manufacture 
of  molasses  and  sugar,  and  with  quarters  for  the  colored 
laborers  all  arranged  in  rows  and  streets,  the  cabins  all 
newly  white-washed  and  presenting  an  air  of  comfort  not 
seen  on  the  cotton  plantations,  and  we  presume  the  culture 
is  much  more  profitable.  He  makes  from  4000  to  5000 
hhds.  of  sugar  per  year.  He  pays  his  laborers  60  cents  per 
day  and  furnishes  the  cabins  and  rations  of  5  Ibs.  bacon  and 
a  peck  of  corn  per  week.  Also  supplies  each  family  with  a 
piece  of  ground  for  a  garden,  in  which  they  cultivate  vege- 
tables on  Saturdays,  which  they  have  to  themselves.  The 
cane  is  usually  planted  once  in  three  years,  by  laying  down 
and  covering  the  stalk, from  which  at  eachjoint  the  new  shoot 
springs  up.  »  New  shoots  from  the  stubble  of  the  year  before, 
furnish  the  crop  for  two  ye"ars  after  planting.  The  season 
for  grinding  and  boiling  lasts  for  about  three  weeks,  and  is 


VICKSBURG.  157 

a  hurrying  time;  extra  wages  are  then  paid  and  the  hands 
are  worked  night  and  day. 

The  rice  fields  are  flowed  from  the  river  by  syphons  over 
the  levees,  and  are  kept  flowed  till  the  crop  matures.  The 
State  ranks  third  in  the  production  ol  rice,  and  first  in  sugar 
and  molasses. 

In  four  hours  from  N.  O.  we  reach  Baton  Rouge,  the 
State  Capital.  It  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  safely  above  inundation,  and  has  a  fair  looking 
State  house,  though  not  imposing.  The  population  of  the 
city  is  less  than  8,000.  The  legislature  sits  biennially  in 
even  number  years,  and  is  limited  to  60  days  of  session,  and 
yet  the  people  have  all  the  legislation  they  want.  All  the 
Southern  States  have  biennial  legislative  sessions,  and  75 
days  is  the  longest  period  allowed  to  any  of  them  for  the 
discharge  of  their  legislative  duties.  Some  of  our  Northern 
States  could  learn  a  good  lesson  from  them  in  this  respect. 

We  reached  Vicksburg  at  6  p.  m.  making  the  entire  trip 
by  daylight,  and  very  pleasantly.  Mr.  Allein  and  family 
gave  us  kind  attention  and  made  our  stay  in  the  city  very 
pleasant.  This  is  a  historic  place,  and  will  be  long  remem- 
bered by  the  troops  who  invested  it  for  months  in  1863,  and 
the  4th  of  July  of  that  year  is  a  red  letter  day  in  more  senses 
than  one.  The  location  of  the  place  high  above  the  river, 
indented  by  ravines  among  high  hills,  rendered  it  a  complete 
Gibraltar,  which  never  could  have  been  captured  by  front 
attack.  The  surrender  was  a  great  relief  to  both  armies, 
and  to  the  starving  multitudes  burrowing  in  caves  for  safety 
from  the  shot  and  shell  so  constantly  thrown  against  them. 
The  capture  of  Vicksburg  and  surrender  of  Pemberton's 
army  was  the  turning  point  of  the  war,  and  new  hopes  were 
inspired  throughout  the  Norlh,  when  soon  after  the 
Mississippi  flowed  unvexed  by  hostile  forces  to  the  gulf. 

Yicksburg  is  the  largest  city  in  the  state  and  contains 
about  14,000  inhabitants.  The  river  channel  was  formerly 
under  its  precipitous  banks,  and  it  was  only  by  running  the 
gauntlet  of  its  frowning  guns  that  Porter's  fleet  got  below. 


T58  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 

and  the  army  was  enabled  to  beseige  it  from  the  rear,  cut 
off  the  supplies,  and  compel  its  surrender.  An  attempt  was- 
made  to  cut  a  canal  across  the  peninsula,  and  thus  avoid 
the  batteries,  but  it  failed.  The  river  has  since  cut  across, 
in  part  by  Grant's  canal,  and  now  Vicksburg  is  left  some 
six  miles  away  from  the  channel  of  the  river,  from  which 
its  commerce  may  suffer  some,  but  this  will  be  vastly  more 
than  compensated  by  the  commercial  value  of  the  railroad 
constructed  parallel  to  the  river,  making  a  strong  competition. 
New  railroad  lines  are  being  constructed  each  year  over  the 
level  and  easily  graded  lands  of  the  South,  all  centering  in 
New  Orleans,  as  those  at  the  Northeast  at  the  great  com- 
mercial centers.  No  such  splendid  steamers  as  formerly 
carried  the  passengers  and  commere  of  the  West  will  again 
be  built  for  this  trade.  The  Mississippi,  like  the  Northern 
lakes,  will  have  to  surrender  a  large  part  of  her  commerce 
to  the  railroads,  which  will  open  up  the  whole  country  to 
settlement  and  business,  and  diffuse  wealth  and  prosperity 
throughout  the  South. 

Many  of  the  older  inhabitants  of  Vicksdurg  pleasantly 
remembered  Dr.  J.  G.  Holland  when  he  had  charge  of  the 
leading  public  school  of  the  city,  and  his  wife  was  assistant. 
We  have  heard  him  relate  his  experience  there,  and  how 
his  return  North  was  hastened  by  the  serious  illness  of  his 
wife's  mother,  and  as  a  result  of  his  return  he  became 
associated  with  the  late  Samuel  Bowles  in  the  publication  of 
the  Springfield  Republican,  in  which  he  wrote  some  of  his 
most  successful  books  in  weekly  contributions. 

A  visit  to  the  National  cemetery  at  Vicksburg  ought  not 
to  be  neglected  by  any  one  going  there.  It  is  laid  out  with 
more  taste  and  presents  the  most  varied  scenery  of  any  of 
the  National  cemeteries  we  have  visited.  It  required  great 
engineering  skill  and  taste  to  bring  out  so  much  beauty  of 
design  from  such  broken  and  precipitous  land.  About 
seventy-five  acres  are  enclosed,  and  laid  out  in  circuitous 
drives  and  walks  around  the  irregnlar  plots  of  ground  where 
the  dead  soldiers  are  interred.  An  arched  marble  entrance 
way  of  beautiful  design  and  finishes  passed  to  the  beautified 


VTCKSBURG.  159 

grounds.  The  high  Kills  Kave  been  terraced  down  for  drives 
and  plots  for  burial.  We  keep  ascending  by  these  circuitous 
•drives,  till  we  reach  the  summit,  where  is  an  elevation  which 
•commands  a  view  of  the  city  and  of  the  serpentine  river  for 
miles  away,  and  here  is  the  monument  which  commemorates 
the  surrender  of  Gen.  Pemberton  and  his  army  to  Gen. 
Grant,  July  4,  1863.  The  marble  shaft  is  about  8  feet  high 
and  some  18  inches  square  at  the  base.  It  was  originally 
located  on  the  place  of  surrender  some  two  miles  away. 
Vandals  and  relic  hunters  had  chipped  off  pieces  of  marble 
till  the  inscriptions  were  partly  obliterated,  and  it  was 
removed  here  for  better  protection.  If  one  of  the  Egyptian 
pyramids  had  been  here,  it  would  have  all  disappeared  in 
tKe  tKousands  of  years  it  has  stood,  had  relic  hunters  had 
free  access  to  it. 

The  people  of  the  city  have  of  course  a  vivid  recollection 
of  the  scenes  of  nearly  twenty-four  years  ago,  when  t  he 
gigantic  batteries  were  hurling  shot  and  shell  on  the  devoted 
city,  and  when  the  inhabitants  sought  refuge  in  caves  dug 
in  the  sides  of  the  hills,  and  toward  the  close  of  the  seige 
were  on  the  verge  of  starvation.  To  most  of  them  the  white 
flag  seen  on  the  morning  of  the  4th,  after  a  residence  of  six 
weeks  in  the  damp  caves,  was  a  most  welcome  spectacle. 
Some  of  them  regretted,  however,  that  the  surrender  should 
have  taken  place  on  the  day  of  the  anniversary  of  our 
National  Independence. 


l6o  EDITORIAL    MISCELLANIES. 


THE  FALL,  OF  VICKSBURG. 


[Written  by  W.  D.  McKinstry,  Dunkirk  Journal  July  4,  1883.] 

Twenty  years  ago  to-day  it  was.  No  one  who  lived  then 
and  had  arrived  at  years  when  memory  holds  will  ever 
forget  it.  Over*  two  years  the  war  that  was  to  have  been 
finished  in  thirty  days  had  dragged  along  and  the  cause  of 
the  Union  had  only  lost  ground.  A  large  party  had  declared 
the  war  a  failure  and  there  was  a  growing  sentiment  for  a 
compromise.  Blood  and  treasure  were  spent  and  no  results 
reached.  The  muffled  drum  and  funeral  dirge  was  heard  in 
every  village  as  brave  warriors  were  brought  home  and 
buried  under  the  echoes  of  the  battle  in  the  three  volleys 
fired  over  their  graves,  the  soldier's  last  salute.  In  cottage 
and  mansion  chairs  stood  empty.  In  the  closets  still  hung 
the  clothes  that  the  hero  had  cast  off  when  he  donned  the 
uniform  and  their  places  had  not  yet  become  accustomed  to 
their  absence.  The  reality  was  upon  the  people.  There 
was  no  romance  longer  in  the  war.  But  the  spirit  of 
patriotism  did  not  fail.  The  girls  wore  the  shields  of  the 
Union  on  their  bosoms  and  the  skirts  of  their  dresses  was 
the  flag  of  the  free.  It  wouldn't  be  a  pretty  dress  to-day, 
but  it  looked  glorious  then,  for  it  had  a  meaning;  and  in 
the  churches  and  public  halls  the  patient  women  were 
gathered  and  busy  fingers  were  picking  and  scraping  lint 
and  rolling  bandages  and  making  little  comforts  for  the 
soldiers  in  the  field,  aye,  and  knitting  stockings  and  making 
clothing  for  their  husbands,  brothers  and  sons  in  the  war. 
On  the  streets  were  men  with  arms  in  slings  or  bandaged 
heads  or  hobbling  about  on  crutches,  the  heroes  of  the  day; 
and  there  was  the  copperhead,  who  fought  with  bitter 
tongue  the  Union  cause.  How  they  were  hated.  But  they 
\vere  pretty  quiet  about  that  time.  Since  then  many  of  them 


THE    FALL   OF   VTCKSBUHG.  l6l 

have  developed  as  the  true  patriots,  the  real  saviors  of  the 
Union. 

But  the  days  were  dark  up  to  that  Fourth  of  July,  1863. 
Then  the  news  came  that  the  silent  soldier  had  captured 
Vicksburg,  the  Gibraltar  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  river 
was  open  from  the  Northland  to  the  Gulf.  It  was  the  first 
note  of  the  victories  which  followed  it  rapidly,  when  Sherman 
marched  to  the  sea  and  the  silent  General  crowned  his  achieve- 
ments at  Appomattox  and  peace  had  come.  What  wonder 
then  that  the  bells  rang  out  and  cannons  boomed  and  the 
North  went  wild  with  joy.  It  was  the  first  gleam  of  hope 
after  years  of  waiting.  It  brought  the  assurance  that  the 
war  was  not  a  failure  and  these  dead  had  not  died  in  vain. 

Do  you  remember  how  the  bells  rang  out  here,  how  the 
battery  of  parrott  guns  ran  out  of  the  old  armory  and  carried 
the  news  from  their  iron  throats  over  the  hills  and  valleys 
of  Chautauqua  ?  It  cost  some  window  glass  and  the  batten- 
in  that  day  mostly  spoke  German;  but  what  of  that?  every 
one  understood  it.  The  flags  streamed  out  from  every  house 
top,  impassioned  orators  spoke  to  crowded  meetings.  What 
speeches  those  were.  Orators  had  something  to  talk  about 
in  those  days.  Listeners  had  something  to  think  about. 
Every  one  felt  himself  everyinch  a  man,  and  every  woman 
was  a  Joan  of  Arc.  These  dudish  days  appear  tame  as  we 
think  of  those  days  twenty  years  ago,  when  the  news  came 
that  Vicksburg  had  fallen. 

And  how  was  it  in  the  beleaguered  city  on  that  morning 
of  July  Fourth,  twenty  years  ago  to-day  ?  We  were 
recently  talking  with  a  lady  who  endured  the  hardships  of 
cave  life  during  those  weary  days  and  this  is  her  story: 

There  had  been  a  year  of  danger.  Long  before,  Porter 
had  brought  his  mortar  fleet  up  to  within  range  of  the  city 
and  for  days  would  rain  shells  down  upon  us.  All  the 
women  and  children  ran  to  the  country  back  of  the  city  and 
I  well  remember  the  scene  on  the  old  Jackson  road  that 
early  morning  in  spring  when  the  bombardment  commenced. 

The  flight  was  a  panic.  Many  were  in  their  night  clothes 
not  daring  to  wait  to  dress  when  the  bursting  shells  drove 


1 62  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

them  from  their  beds.  We  lived  in  a  negro  cabin  on  one  of 
the  great  plantations  back  of  the  city,  doing  the  best  we 
could  to  be  comfortable,  but  thinking  the  hardship  unbear- 
able though  it  was  comfort  to  what  we  were  yet  to  endure. 
But  the  encircling  forces  crowded  us  back  into  the  city 
again.  From  the  Court  House  hill  we  could  look  down  the 
river  to  the  flags  of  Farragut  and  Porter  and  up  the  river 
the  fleet  was  pressing  down  upon  us.  We  built  caves  in  the 
hill.  A  neighbor  kindly  offered  to  share  his  with  us,  laugh- 
ingly saying  it  would  be  a  delightful  residence.  There  was 
no  thought  then  that  we  should  have  to  live  in  one,  but  it 
was  constructed  as  a  temporary  place  of  shelter  should  the 
shells  fly  too  thickly.  It  was  a  long,  narrow  cave  in  the 
shape  of  a  half  moon,  with  two  entrances,  for  if  only  one 
entrance  were  left,  a  shell  might  fill  it  up  and  we  should  be 
buried  alive.  We  had  frequent  recourse  to  it  on  days 
when  the  bombardment  was  severe  but  it  was  some  time 
before  we  had  to  take  up  quarters  in  it.  It  is,  I  believe, 
still  preserved,  the  'only  one  now  left  in  Vicksburg.  We 
became  more  indifferent  to  death  as  the  siege  progressed. 
People  do,  you  know,  when  it  is  so  near  them.  Life  is  so 
cheap  when  it  is  daily  going.  No  matter,  was  the  thought, 
to-morrow  we  may  be  killed,  and  so  life  went  on  with  no 
calculations  for  the  morrow.  Confederate  officers  were 
frequent  callers  at  our  home  and  sometimes  it  grew  very 
social  under  our  roof  surrounded  by  death.  And  then  bang 
would  go  the  signal  gun,  the  officers  would  fly  to  their  posts 
and  we  to  our  caves,  for  the  bombardment  had  commenced 
again.  That  was  a  gallant  young  officer  who  had  command 
of  the  signal  gun.  The}'  brought  him  to  our  home  one 
night  torn  with  a  shell  and  he  died  in  our  hall- way,  the  first 
officer  who  fell  in  the  siege.  Whistling  Dick,  the  long 
Whitworth  gun  which  was  the  terror  of  the  northern  fleet, 
was  on  an  eminence  near  our  home.  It  commanded  up  and 
down  the  river  and  was  the  most  destructive  gun.  We 
learned  soon  to  distinguish  the  sound  of  the  different  kinds 
of  shells  from  the  fierce  screeching  of  the  great  mortar 


THE  FALL  OF  VICKSBURG.  163 

shells  to  the  almost  musical  tone  of  the  James  and  Hotch- 
kiss  shells  that  rained  down  upon  us.  We  heard  and  saw 
them  from  our  cave  dwelling  for  many  days.  You  have 
never  seen  the  grandest  exposition  of  fireworks  unless  you 
have  seen  a  bombardment  by  night  from  mortars,  the  great 
masses  of  fire  criss-crossing  over  the  city,  bursting  in  mid 
air  and  raining  death  below.  We  even  noticed  the  grandeur 
of  it  while  knowing  it  might  be  a  message  of  death  to  us. 

One  morning,  during  a  lull  in  the  firing  we  were  seated 
at  the  breakfast  table  which  was  not  bountifully  spread, 
when  a  shell  suddenly  fell  and  exploded  before  the  dining 
room  door.  We  rushed  out  to  the  cave.  People  were  rush- 
ing to  the  caves  in  all  directions,  and  from  it  we  did  not  go 
again  for  forty-eight  days.  The  federals  had  surrounded 
the  city  entirely, the  siege  had  commenced  in  earnest  and  we 
were  in  the  iron  grip  of  Grant.  Our  cave  was  one  of  the 
few  completed  and  was  crowded  as  full  as  it  could  hold.  A 
young  bride  came  there  who  had  been  married  that  day 
amid  the  din  of  war,  the  serenade  of  her  wedding  night  the 
boom  of  guns  out  at  the  front  where  her  bridegroom  stood 
amid  the  ranks  of  death.  Another  bride  of  only  two  weeks 
was* also  one  of  our  company.  Poor  girl,  she  went  out  in 
the  iron  hail  to  meet  her  husband  and  was  shattered  by  a 
bursting  shell  and  doomed  to  years  of  suffering  before  death 
relieved  her.  Ah,  what  a  night  !  The  batteries  on  the 
shore  belched  shot  and  shell  at  the  fleet,  the  fleet  replied 
with  iron  hail.  The  great  guns  on  the  hill  tops  roared.  In 
the  rear  of  the  city  the  field  guns  were  at  it;  the  volleyed 
musketry  quivered  the  air.  There  was  battle  all  about  us, 
the  air  was  full  of  death,  the  earth  shook  with  the  roar  of 
guns. 

To  the  rear  of  the  city  stood  two  armies  face  to  face.  One 
wore  the  blue  and  one  the  grey.  In  northern  homes  the 
women  were  praying  and  working  for  the  blue.  In  our 
damp,  close  cave  we  were  working  and  praying  for  the  gray . 
Why,  I  knew  that  in  the  ranks  of  the  blue  were  school 
friends  of  years  before  that  I  had  known  in  a  little  tree  clad 
village  of  the  north  where  I  had  spent  happy  school  days. 


164  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

And  I  knew  in  the  ranks  of  the  gray  there  were  those  who- 
only  a  few  hours  before  had  been  under  my  father's  roof,, 
the  friends  of  our  house  and  home  and  companions  of  my 
youth.  And  blue  and  grey  were  out  there,  the  one  giving 
his  life  for  his  nation,  the  other  giving  his  life  for  his  home. 
The  blue  wave  dashed  upward  on  the  earthworks  and  the 
blood  crested  wave  rolled  back  again  from  the  gray  beach 
of  the  human  sea.  Day  after  day  the  guns  roared  and 
volleyed  and  the  dead  came  back  and  the  living  went  out. 
Day  after  day  we  waited.  A  friend  was  brought  in  and  so 
great  was  the  love  of  him  that  he  was  buried  in  the  city 
cemetery  while  the  shells  shattered  the  tombstones  all  about 
the  burial  party.  There  was  death  in  our  cave,  and  a  table 
that  was  there  was  made  into  a  coffin  and  near  by  we  buried 
her,  the  daughter  of  our  clergyman.  For  food  we  had  corn 
meal  and  molasses  and  occasionally  a  rarity  of  meat.  To  be 
sure  it  was  mule  meat,  but  then  it  was  a  luxury.  At  length 
one  day  there  came  a  lull  in  the  storm.  It  was  the  third  of 
July.  1863.  We  were  ready  to  bear  all  dangers  to  get  a 
breath  of  fresh  air  and  stretch  our  cramped  limbs,  and  with 
my  mother  on  whom  fatal  consumption  had  fastened  itself  in 
the  damp  cave,  we  started  for  our  home  to  find  it  pierced 
with  shells  and  shattered,  but  still  habitable.  A  quarter- 
master came  riding  down  the  street.  "You  can  stay  there 
if  you  wish  to-night,"  he  said,  "there  will  be  no  firing." 
What  did  it  mean  ?  We  climbed  a  hill  and  looked  toward 
the  army  in  the  rear  of  the  city.  The  smoke  had  cleared 
away,  the  guns  were  silent.  The  silence  seemed  intense 
and  ominous  and  unnatural  after  the  days  of  battle.  A  long 
line  of  white  flags  were  waving  between  the  armies.  A 
truce  was  declared.  Out  from  the  caves  poured  the  people, 
wan,  emaciated  and  some  near  death.  A  surrender  was- 
rumored  and  received  with  sullen  denial.  Death  was  pre- 
ferable. But  next  morning  the  sun  shone  brilliantly  and  up 
the  streets  came  the  tramp  of  marching  feet  and  the  hoof- 
beat  of  cavalry.  Between  the  lines  of  blue  marched  the 
unarmed  ranks  of  gray.  There  were  sphinx  like  Grant  and 
stern  Sherman  and  dark  L/ogan  on  a  coal  black  horse,  and 


THE  FALL  OF  VICKSBURG.  165 

knightly  McPherson  at  the  front.  The  confederate  flag  still 
floated  from  the  Court  House  on  the  summit  of  the  hill. 
The  troops  marched  on  upward.  The  flag  fell,  the  stars 
and  stripes  floated  there  and  Vicksburg  was  taken.  We 
kept  close  in  the  house  that  day  as  did  all  citizens,  for  the 
streets  were  full  of  soldiers.  Blue  and  gray  strolled  along 
arm  in  arm  and  told  their  stories  of  the  siege  and  sang 
through  the  streets:  "To-day  we'll  be  friends  and  to-morrow 
we'll  fight."  Union  officers  whom  we  had  known  before 
the  war  came  to  bid  us  greeting,  and  confederate  officers, 
our  neighbors  and  friends,  came  to  bid  us  good-bye.  And 
many  we  had  known  came  not  at  all,  but  out  in  the  trenches 
found  peace  in  the  din  of  war.  And  that  was  the  Fourth 
in  Vicksburg,  twenty  years  ago. 


)66  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 


THE  BAYOU  TECHE. 


Steamer  Teche,  on  Bayou  Teche,  | 
La..  April  12,  1888.  j 

Dear  Censor: — Having  met  Iowa  friends  in  New  Orleans, 
who  had  just  taken  a  delightful  trip  on  the  Steamer  Teche, 
and  with  an  introduction  to  the  gentlemanly  captain  and 
clerk,  we  left  the  Crescent  'City  on  the  jth  at  5  p.  m.,  and 
were  soon  on  our  way  up  the  "father  of  waters."  For 
some  eight  miles  we  circle  around  the  crescent  from  the  foot 
of  Canal  street  to  Carrol  ton,  in  view  of  the  large  business 
wharves  where  commerce  was  making  exchanges  with 
foreign  countries,  for  the  mutual  benefit  of  those  concerned. 

The  east  side  of  the  river  contains  a  succession  of  sugar 
and  rice  plantations,  the  former  the  staple  production  of  the 
state,  outranking  all  others.  The  river  is  in  high  stage  of 
water,  and  from  the  deck  of  our  boat  we  look  over  the  levees 
to  the  large  plantations  several  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
river,  from  which  they  are  protected  from  inundation  by  the 
levees.  A  breakage  or  crevasse  in  high  water  is  very 
disastrous  to  the  planters,  destroying  their  crops  for  miles. 

We  pass  Baton  Rouge,  the  State  Capital,  130  miles  by 
river  from  New  Orleans  and  about  85  by  rail.  It  shows 
pleasantly  from  the  river,  the  state  house  and  the  deaf  mute 
and  blind  asylum  being  conspicuous  objects  of  observation. 
Eighteen  miles  above  Baton  Rouge  we  pass  Port  Hudson, 
which  was  captured  soon  after  Vicksburg,  and  was  the  last 
obstruction  to  the  federal  forces  to  the  free  passage  of  the 
Mississippi  from  its  source  to  its  mouth.  The  change  of  the 
river  has  left  the  old  fortifications  quite  a  distance  inland, 
the  willows  have  grown  up  thickly  on  the  new  made  land, 
and  the  view  is  now  very  much  obstructed.  At  160  miles 
above  New  Orleans  we  pass  Bayou  Sara,  an  important  com- 
mercial point  on  the  river. 


THE  BAYOU  TECHE.  167 

At  200  miles  above  New  Orleans  we  enter  Old  River, 
probably  the  former  debouch  of  the  Red  river,  and  after 
passing  7  miles  enter  the  Atchafalaya,  which  forms  one  of 
the  mouths  of  the  Mississippi,  being  formed  from  waters  of 
this  and  Red  river,  and  finding  its  outlet  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  about  80  miles  west  of  New  Orleans  by  rail,  and  335 
by  water.  % 

Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  circuitous  water  com- 
munications in  Louisiana,  from  the  fact  that  though  the 
State  is  only  300  miles  in  breadth  east  and  west,  and  240 
miles  in  length,  yet  it  contains  2,500  miles  of  navigable 
water.  In  our  trip  we  have  another  illustration  in  going 
nearly  900  miles  in  the  round  trip,  and  the  point  where  we 
commenced  to  retrace  our  steps  is  only  about  30  miles  from 
the  Gulf.  This  trip  on  the  Teche  is  nearly  as  long  as  the 
one  we  made  from  Cincinnati  to  New  Orleans. 

We  pass  down  the  Atchafalaya,  which  with  high  water  on 
the  Mississippi  has  now  a  current  of  some  six  miles  an  hour. 
The  banks  are  mainly  cypress  swamps,  where  aligators 
during  the  warm  weather  have  a  pleasant  resort.  For  some 
90  miles  we  pass  through  this  wilderness,  with  very  few 
human  habitations.  We  pass  the  Texas  Pacific  iron  bridge, 
which  swings  open  at  our  approach.  We  pass  through 
Grand  river,  bayous  and  lakes,  to  Grand  Lake,  which  is 
30  miles  long  and  1 2  wide,  which  is  but  a  widening  of  the 
river,  to  the  lower  Atchafalaya,  and  thence  to  Bayou  Teche, 
which  we  traverse  some  90  miles  to  St.  Martinsville,  when 
we  commence  our  homeward  trip. 

The  Bayou  is  a  wonderful  body  of  water,  a  kind  of  long 
lake  without  current  except  what  is  produced  from  the  tide 
on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  It  is  so  narrow  that  the  boat,  200 
feet  long,  could  not  be  turned  around  in  it,  and  so  circuitous 
that  a  slow  rate  of  speed  is  required  and  a  constant  move- 
ment of  the  wheel  to  keep  it  from  running  into  the  bank. 
The  overhanging  limbs  of  the  trees  often  rake  the  upper 
works  of  the  boat,  and  the  cypress  boughs  and  gray  Spanish 
moss  litter  the  deck.  The  long  spreading  branches  of  a  live 


1 68  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

oak   early    one   morning   made   considerable  work    for   the 
carpenter  in  making  repairs. 

But  what  was  our  surprise,  after  passing  more  than  100 
miles  through  forests,  lakes  and  swamps,  to  find  on  the 
Teche  some  of  the  most  fertile  and  eligibly  situated  land  for 
cultivation  to  be  found  in  the  South.  On  each  side  of  the 
Bayou  were  constant  successions  of  sugar  plantations  and 
rice  fields,  where  the  cane  produces  25  tons  per  *acre,  pre- 
pared for  the  crushing  mill,  and  where  the  manufacture  of 
sugar  is  carried  on  by  the  use  of  most  perfect  machinery, 
and  the  best  results  obtained. 

We  pass  by  the  place  where  Gen.  Banks  met  defeat  from 
the  attack  of  Gen.  Dick  Taylor's  troops  and  retreated  to  the 
Red  river,  where  his  boats  came  near  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy,  and  were  only  saved  by  the  construction  of  a 
dam  by  which  the  water  was  raised  and  the  boats  floated 
down  on  the  tide. 

On  the  Teche  we  pass  through  the  land  of  the  Acadians, 
whose  migration  is  celebrated  by  Longfellow's  poem  of 
"Evangeline."  They  are  not  a  prosperous  people,  though 
the  land  is  of  unsurpassed  fertility,  where  the  cane,  rice, 
corn,  oranges,  figs  and  tropical  fruits  can  be  raised  in  great 
abundance.  Their  buildings  are  mostly  dilapidated,  and 
they  show  little  evidence  of  thrift  or  enterprise.  The  best 
plantations  have  passed  out  of  their  hands,  and  are  owned 
by  Northern  people,  who  have  introduced  the  most  perfect 
machinery  and  are  rapidly  changing  the  mode  of  cultivation 
and  manufacture,  while  the  natives  retire  back  to  the  prairies 
and  abandon  the  competition  to  the  Northern  invaders. 
Very  few  of  the  Northern  people  live  here,  but  have  their 
agents  to  care  for  their  property  while  they  live  in  the 
Northern  cities  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  enterprise  in 
their  distant  homes. 

It  is  nearly  1 50  years  since  the  Acadians  were  driven  from 
their  homes  in  Canada  and  sought  refuge  from  persecution 
in  this  land  of  flowers.  They  still  preserve  their  religious 
faith,  and  the  simplicity  of  their  habits.  At  St.  Martins- 
ville  there  is  a  convent  to  which  we  paid  a  short  visit.  The 


THE    BAYOU   TECHE.  1 69 

place  contains  about  3,000  population,  and  has  a  very  large 
church.  This  convent  is  their  only  school,  and  even  this 
has  been  established  only  about  six  years.  There  are  six 
teachers,  who  are  thoroughly  devoted  to  their  work  and 
doubtless  do  much  good.  The  lady  superior  informed  us 
that  there  were  but  five  or  six  families  of  Protestants  in  the 
place,  and  they  were  of  the  Episcopal  persuasion.  A  large 
live  oak  tree  was  pointed  out  to  us  under  which  it  was  said 
Evangeline  slept  when  on  her  weary  journey  in  search  of 
her  lover.  The  people  all  speak  the  French,  somewhat 
corrupted,  and  retain  their  old  habits  and  customs.  Those 
on  the  boat  with  us  speak  broken  English,  difficult  to  under- 
stand, but  in  conversation  with  each  other  talk  in  their 
native  language. 

We  also  pass  the  lands  of  a  tribe  of  Indians,  who  live  in 
rude  shanties  and  cultivate  small  patches  of  land.  They 
are  far  from  being  a  prosperous  people.  About  ten  miles 
from  us  is  the  plantation  of  Joe  Jefferson,  who  enjoys  an 
ample  fortune  made  by  the  presentation  to  the  public  of  that 
charming  story  of  "Rip  Van  Winkle." 

A  few  miles  out  from  the  line  of  our  trip  on  the  Teche,  is 
a  salt  mine  discovered  since  the  war;  it  has  an  inexaustible 
supply.  The  saline  water  had  been  boiled  'for  salt  a  long 
time,  and  in  boring  to  get  more  strength  to  the  water,  they 
struck  a  salt  rock  at  about  30  feet,  which  is  now  opened 
more  than  100  feet  deep;  the  solid  rock  blasted  with 
dynamite.  Pure  rock  salt  is  raised  to  the  surface  and  sent 
off  by  the  carload. 

H:  3f  :fc  -  *  H5  sfc  sfc 

We  must  speak  a  word  about  our  good  boat,  '  'The  Teche. ' ' 
It  was  built  about  two  years  ago  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  is  200 
feet  long,  40  feet  beam,  and  has  a  capacity  of  some  700  tons, 
with  7  feet  draft.  Capt.  Muggah  is  a  chivalrous,  southern 
Christian  gentleman,  who  makes  his  passengers  welcome  and 
at  home,  and  contributes  in  every  way  possible  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  trip.  The  clerk,  Mr.  Belt,  is  an  intelligent 
gentleman,  well  posted  in  political  affairs,  and  whose 
acquaintance  the  tourists  will  be  pleased  to  make.  The 


1 70  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

boat  is  as  quiet  as  a  home.  No  bar  has  ever  been  kept  on 
the  boat,  and  never  will  be  so  long  as  Mr.  Belt,  the  pro- 
prietor, and  Capt.  Muggah  control  it.  If  any  of  our  friends 
at  the  north  visit  New  Orleans,  we  would  advise  them  to 
take  a  trip  on  this  boat.  It  costs  no  more  than  to  stay  in 
the  city,  and  one  will  be  surprised  at  the  amount  of  enjoy- 
ment to  be  had  from  it. 

We  are  now  nearing  the  city  and  I  must  close,  leaving 
many  matters  of  observation  for  another  letter. 

ON  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

April  12,  1888. — For  the  day  our  boat  had  been  stemming 
the  flood  from  the  Atchafalaya  and  Red  River,  making  its 
way  to  the  Gulf.  The  waters  were  turgid  and  the  current 
swift,  except  when  it  had  broadened  into  lakes  or  swamps. 
The  banks  were  low  and  the  cypress  and  willow  preponder- 
ated in  the  thick  forests.  The  Mississippi  was  now  twenty- 
eight  feet  above  low  water  mark,  and  of  course  made  a  swift 
current  in  this  most  northern  outlet.  At  its  junction  with 
the  Mississippi  is  an  island  of  many  acres,  which  constitutes 
the  prison  of  the  State  Convicts.  The  lessee  has  charge  of 
all  State  prisons,  and  a  part  are  hired  to  railroad  contractors 
or  for  the  public  works,  and  the  less  able-bodied  raise  cotton 
on  this  immense  plantation.  No  prison  walls  guard  them, 
but  they  are  watched  with  vigilance  and  guarded  with  rifles 
and  blood-hounds.  If  any  escape  they  are  hunted  with  the 
hounds  and  returned  and  made  to  wear  the  ball  and  chain 
for  the  attempt. 

Whites  and  blacks  work  out  their  sentences  together,  in 
the  striped  garb.  Some  of  the  convicts  have  been  men  of 
wealth  and  influence,  like  some  of  our  northern  embezzlers 
and  speculators,  Who  have  robbed  other  people  of  their 
money  in  operations  of  chance  at  the  stockboard.  We  were 
told  of  one  man,  once  a  prominent  merchant,  who,  for  a 
crime  was  sentenced  for  a  term  of  years.  His  wife  procured 
a  divorce  and  married  again,  and  when  his  term  was  out,  he 
had  no  desire  to  meet  his  old  companions  and  mingle  in 
business,  but  remained  there,  keeping  books  and  doing  busi- 


THE    BAYOU   TECHE.  171 

ness  for  the  institution.     He  has  his  liberty,  and  often  visits 
the  city  in  the  purchase  of  supplies  for  the  State. 

In  going  up  the  river,  our  boat  went  near  the  shores,  so 
as  to  have  the  advantage  of  the  eddies  and  less  current. 
But  now,  on  our  downward  trip,  we  take  the  swiftest 
current,  which  adds  five  or  six  miles  an  hour  to  our  speed 
at  this  high  stage  of  the  water. 

As  our  boat  approaches  the  city,  we  have  an  example  of 
the  gambling  propensities  of  the  darkies.  Some  fifteen  or 
twenty  are  engaged  only  for  the  trip.  They  load  and  unload 
at  the  landings,  which  on  the  round  trip  must  be  nearly  a 
hundred.  It  is  very  laborious  work,  and  as  the  landings  are 
made  at  all  times  of  the  night  and  day,  they  have  no  regular 
time  for  rest.  They  receive  one  dollar  per  day  for  the  trip, 
so  that  some  seven  dollars  cash  are  paid  to  them  at  the  close 
of  the  trip.  They  come  to  the  clerk's  window  and  receive 
their  money  in  silver.  No  sooner  do  they  get  their  hard- 
earned  money,  than  they  are  seen  squatted  on  the  lower 
deck;  one  is  throwing  dice,  and  the  others  are  shaking  their 
money.  They  commence  with  dimes  and  end  with  dollars. 
In  about  an  hour  after  they  are  paid,  some  of  them  have 
lost  every  dime  and  are  then  ready  to  repeat  the  operation — 
another  trip.  They  are  clothed  in  rags,  some  without  shoes 
and  the  comforts  of  life,  and  instead  of  going  on  shore 
and  getting  clothing  and  comforts,  they  gamble  it  all  away. 

Lotteries  and  gambling  are  the  great  curse  of  the  south, 
and  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  dusky  inhabitants  should  be 
inculcated  with  the  prevailing  spirit.  The  Louisiana  lottery, 
with  headquarters  in  this  city,  has  its  patrons  all  over  the 
country,  and  Gen.  Beauregard  at  its  head,  lives  in  affluence 
on  the  large  income  it  gives  him. 

THE  SCENERY  OF  THE  TECHE. 

[We  have  received  a  copy  of  the  New  Orleans  Picayune, 
with  the  following  contribution  by  Miss  Harriet  McKinstry. 
of  Painesville,  Ohio,  who  accompanied  her  uncle,  the  senior 
editor  of  this  paper,  in  a  trip  through  the  Teche  country  of 
Louisiana  made  one  year  later.  She  gives  a  charming  and 
vivid  picture  of  that  region  of  Acadian  settlements,  made 


172"  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

famous  by  Longfellow's  romantic  poem,  the  story  of 
Evangeline  :] 

There  is  an  undefinable  pleasure  in  turning  away  from 
the  well-known  highways  of  travel  into  picturesque  and 
beautiful  by-paths,  and  when  these  paths  are  already  famous 
in  romance  and  song  the  pleasure  is  vastly  enhanced. 

A  few  days  sail  over  the  "golden  stream  of  the  broad  and 
swift  Mississippi"  brings  one  into  the  land  of  the  "true, 
strange  stories  of  Louisiana"  and  of  the  gentle  maiden  with 
"God's  benediction"  upon  her  wrhose  departure  seemed  like 
the  "ceasing  of  exquisite  music." 

We  would  enjoin  upon  all  visitors  to  the  land  of  perpetual 
sunshine  along  the  gulf  to  add  as  a  crowning  enjoyment  a 
trip  up  the  Bayou  Teche.  If  one  is  so  fortunate  as  to  secure 
passage  on  the  steamer  Teche,  pleasure  and  comfort  in  the 
neat  and  convenient  appointments  will  be  increased  by  true 
courtesy  of  the  genial  Captain  Muggah,  who  is  ever  ready 
to  answer  questions  and  afford  information,  never  forgetting 
to  point  out  places  of  interest  and  beauty.  The  unfailing- 
politeness,  also,  of  Mr.  Belt,  the  clerk  of  the  steamer,  and 
of  the  other  officers,  as  well  as  the  attention  of  steward, 
stewardess  and  waiters,  makes  one  feel  at  ease  and  at  home. 

Leaving  New  Orleans,  with  its  old  palaces,  cathedrals  and 
quaint  French  houses  on  one  side  of  Canal  street,  and  on 
the  other  its  broad  avenues  and  beautiful  flowers,  its  fine 
residences  and  lofty  blocks,  the  steamer  takes  its  way,  now 
past  the  fine  old  plantation  homes  with  Abroad  galleries  and 
lofty  columns,  the  white-washed  cabins  gleaming  in  the 
distance,  and  '  'now  through  rushing  chutes  among  the  green 
islands,  where  plume-like  cotton  trees  nod  their  shadowy 
crests;"  then  winding  by  wray  of  the  Old  river  into  the 
Atchafalaya,  and  thence  through  a  series  of  lakes  the  bayou 
Teche  is  reached. 

To  one  accustomed  in  April  to  the  icy  blasts  and  barren 
trees  along  the  shores  of  lake  Erie,  the  delight  experienced 
in  the  luxuriant  foliage,  the  exquisite  and  varied  green  of 
these  topical  forests,  is  beyond  expression.  The  gentle 
swaying  palmettos,  the  tall  stumps  clothed  with  a  garment 


THE    BAYOU   TECHE.  173 

of  three-leafed  ivy,  the  grand  oak  and  dark  cypress,  garland- 
ed with  trailing  moss  and  the  '  'mystic  mistletoe, ' '  make  a 
picture  impossible  to  paint  in  words. 

So  as  we  sail  along  through  the  lakes  and  the  Atchafalaya. 
we  feel  purselves  almost  cut  loose  from  the  world.  The 
"seal  of  silence"  is  scarcely  broken  save  by  the  hoarse  caw 
of  the  crow,  the  flap  of  the  buzzard's  wings  or  the  howl  of 
the  alligator,  while  one  morning  a  bald  eagle  flew  across 
our  way.  After  long  stretches  of  unbroken  forests  we  may 
suddenly  come  upon  the  vine  covered  home  and  apian-  of 
some  lone  bee-raiser,  or  we  may  reach  a  little  group  of  rustic 
houses,  some  "happy  town;"  at  the  front  are  silently  stand- 
ing a  cluster  of  artless  children,  while  at  the  opening  at  the 
side  a  large  herd  of  goats  lift  their  bearded  heads. 

On  the  bayou  Teche  the  plantations  are  large  and  fine, 
the  sugar-houses  equipped  with  every  facility  for  making 
the  finest  sugar;  the  pumps  for  flooding  the  fields  of  growing 
rice;  in  the  distance  the  large  fields  devoted  to  cane,  cotton 
and  rice,  and  in  the  front  the  pleasant  homes  shaded  by  the 
branching  live  oak  are  suggestive  of  comfort  and  luxury. 

These  rich  plantations,  varying  in  size  and  attractiveness, 
are  all  along  the  bayou,  but  between  these  houses  and 
skirting  the  water's  edge  are  such  lofty  trees  and  such  a 
dense  mass  of  vegetation  as  to  cause  us  to  feel  transported 
to  some  far  away  tropical  realm.  This  country  has  been 
called  the  Eden  of  Louisiana — it  might  fittingly  be  called 
the  Eden  of  America. 

One  may  hunt  the  world  over  and  never  find  another 
bayou  Teche;  it  is  a  gem  dropped  in  Paradise.  In  width  it 
varies  from  400  feet  to  50  feet,  and  in  depth  from  25  feet  to 
5  or  even  3  feet,  and  in  the  evening  with  the  electric  lights 
ofvthe  steamer  casting  a  vivid  light  over  the  green  of  the 
banks  and  the  sheen  of  the  water,  bringing  out  weird  and 
wondrous  shadows,  one  feels  as  if  in  a  phantom  ship  in  a 
fairy  land,  while  the  gentle  sound  of  the  wheel  may  be  the 
breath  of  some  sea  dragon  propelling  us  on  our  mysteriou- 
way. 

Everywhere  one  is  reminded  of  Evangeline,  as  we  follow 


174  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

her  in  her  search  for  Gabriel  from  the  mossy  bank  upon 
which  the  wearied  maiden  slept  while  the  restless  lover 
urged  on  the  course  of  his  light  boat  all  ignorant  of  his  fate,, 
beyond  the  town  of  St.  Maur  (New  Iberia),  even  to  the 
very  St.  Martin.  It  was  just  at  sunset  when  we  reached 
this  quaint  old  Acadian  town,  and  passing  gable-roofed 
houses  dating  back  nearly  200  years  we  find  our  way  to  the 
old  cathedral  and  enter  its  sacred  precincts.  The  ancient 
water  jars  at  the  entrance,  filled  with  holy  water  in  whose 
depth  is  revealed  a  silver  cross,  the  old  paintings,  one 
representing  St.  Martin  giving  his  cloak  to  a  beggar,  the 
sacred  grotto,  the  stained  glass  windows  with  their  cross  of 
white,  but  add  to  the  solemnity  of  the  place.  In  front  of 
the  cathedral  is  a  fine  bronze  statue  ol  Pere  Jan,  erected  by 
a  grateful  people  to  the  priest  who  had  given  his  life  to  their 
service.  The  old  cemetery,  the  bridge  across  the  river,  the 
beautiful  Acadian  woman  passing  along  the  streets,  the 
tolling  of  the  bell  reminding  one  of  the  scene  depicted  in 
Millet's  "Angelus, "  complete  the  picture  gallery  in  a  never 
to  be  forgotten  trip. 


"WASHINGTON   IN    1855.  175 


WASHINGTON  IN  1855. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C.  March  30,  1890. 
Washington  is  quite  a  different  city  from  what  it  was  when 
we  visited  it  the  first  time  thirty-five  years  ago,  and  the 
facilities  of  reaching  it  are  very  much  improved.  Then  we 
went  to  New  York  on  the  N.  Y.  and  Erie,  a  new  road  just 
completed  through  to  Dunkirk.  We  then  took  a  steamer  to 
the  Perth  Amboy  road,  and  thence  by  that  road  to  Phila- 
delphia, crossing  the  Schuylkill  on  a  ferry.  Thence  by  rail 
to  Baltimore,  where  the  cars  were  drawn  by  horses  through 
the  city.  At  Havre  de  Grace  a  large  ferry  boat  on  which 
the  train  of  cars  was  run,  conveyed  them  across  the  bay, 
and  the  night  train  ran  to  Washington.  There  was  no 
sleeper  on  any  of  the  roads,  I  think,  at  that  time,  and  all 
railroad  appliances  were  very  crude  as  compared  with  the 
present.  Washington  was  then  a  small  and  dirty  city,  cursed 
with  slavery,  and  a  slave  market  was  located  where  the  city 
market  now  stands.  The  capitol  building  was  not  more 
than  two-thirds  the  present  size,  the  wing  or  the  House  of 
Representatives  having  but  recently  been  commenced.  Mr. 
Frisbee,  the  founder  of  the  CENSOR,  was  with  me,  and  this 
was  his  first  visit  here.  We  met  Horace  Greeley  at  the 
capitol  building,  and  in  the  Senate  Gov.  Seward.  This  was 
before  the  noted  firm  of  "Weed,  Seward  &  Greeley"  was 
dissolved,  and  the  meeting  between  the  noted  men  was  very 
cordial.  "There  were  giants  in  those  days"  and  the  "irre- 
pressible conflict' '  was  commenced  in  earnest,  which  has 
resulted  in  the  freedom  of  the  country  from  the  curse  of 
slavery.  At  that  time  the  main  effort  was  to  abolish  slavery 
in  the  District  Columbia,  and  to  prevent  its  spreading  into 
the  territories.  It  was  a  long  and  fierce  struggle  long  before 


176  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  clash  of  arms  came.  John  Quincey  Adams,  Joshua 
Giddings  and  Ben  Wade  were  then  making  a  gallant  fight, 
but  there  were  few  on  the  side  of  freedom  in  those  days. 
The  great  mass  of  the  Democratic  party  was  with  the  South ; 
"woolly  head  whigs"  were  few  in  number  then.  Little  did 
they  then  dream  that  in  a  few  years  more  than  a  million  of 
men  would  be  contending  for  the  cause  of  which  they  were 
then  but  the  meagre  advance  guard  in  the  grand  contest  for 
human  rights.  It  was  then  contended  that  the  discussion 
of  the  slavery  question  would  prolong  slavery,  and  that  the 
southern  states  would  abolish  the  institution  of  themselves, 
state  by  state,  if  left  alone.  The  colonization  society  were 
also  active  in  their  deportation  to  Africa,  apparently  not 
considering  that  not  all  the  navy  of  the  country  would  be 
sufficient  to  transport  even  a  small  portion  of  the  increase. 

The  whole  country  was  governed  in  the  interests  of 
slavery,  and  no  candidate  for  President  could  be  nominated 
by  either  of  the  great  parties  with  any  chance  of  success 
without  the  sanction  and  support  of  the  South.  Gen. 
Harrison  was  nominated  and  elected  in  1840  on  the  question 
of  protection  and  financial  reform,  and  being  a  Virginian  by 
birth,  the  slavery  question  was  ignored,  and  he  was  elected. 
On  his  death  the  government  passed  under  the  control  of 
the  South,  in  John  Tyler's  administration,  and  continued 
until  1848,  when  Gen.  Taylor  was  elected,  on  substantially 
the  same  issues  as  prevailed  eight  years  before.  He  was  a 
planter  in  Mississippi  before  the  Mexican  war,  and  was 
selected  as  a  Whig  candidate  on  the  suggestion  of  Thurlow 
Weed,  because  he  was  a  protectionist,  and  would  wear  no 
clothing  of  foreign  production. 

The  progress  of  the  free  soil  sentiment  was  rapid  during 
the  discussion  of  the  Wilmotpr  viso,  and  in  1856  the  gallant 
Fremont  would  have  been  elected  President  had  the  state  of 
Pennsylvania  stood  by  him;  but  state  pride  gave  the  vote  to 
one  of  her  own  statesmen,  Mr.  Buchanan. 

The  great  triumph  came  in  1860  when  Lincoln  was  elected, 
and  during  his  administration  the  shackles  were  removed 


THE    BAYOTJ   TECHE.  1 77 

From  every  slave  never  to  be  replaced.  It  was  a  costly 
sacrifice  which  procured  this  result,  but  its  benefits  are  for 
.all  time.  In  old  times  no  free  state  could  be  admitted  to  the 
Union  without  a  balancing  slave  state,  but  now  four  new 
states  have  been  admitted  in  one  year,  all  free.  '  'What 
hath  God  wrought." 

Fifty  years  ago  a  leading  newspaper  in  New  York  city 
had  what  was  called  a  pony  express,  and  had  relays  of 
horses  every  twenty  miles,  from  Washington  to  New  York, 
and  when  the  message  was  delivered  the  courier  started  on 
horseback  with  this  document,  and  at  the  distance  of  twenty 
miles  met  another  courier  with  a  fresh  horse,  who  took  it  to 
the  next  relay,  and  so  on  at  the  rate  of  ten  or  twelve  miles 
an  hour,  night  and  day,  till  the  city  was  reached.  It  was 
put  in  type  as  speedily  as  possible,  the  hand-power 
machinery  started  and  the  message  delivered  to  the  anxi- 
iously  waiting  readers.  From  this  paper  the  others  copied, 
till  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  weeks  the  message  was 
received  and  read  in  most  of  the  central  places  throughout 
the  country.  In  all  the  smaller  places  the  first  copy  received 
was  put  in  type  and  printed  at  once. 

We  well  recall  how  the  mails  were  watched  for  the  first 
copy  of  the  message — the  tallow  dips  were  all  lighted  and 
on  the  cases,  the  copy  cut  in  short  "takes,"  and  at  the  early 
dawn,  perhaps,  the  old  hand-press  began  to  creak  with  the 
ponderous  forms  of  solid  matter,  and  the  message  was 
delivered  to  the  waiting  readers. 


178  EDITORIAL,   MISCELLANIES. 


THE  SCOTTISH  LAKES. 


BY  W.   D.    M. 


A  Fourth  of  July  spent  among  the  Scottish  Lakes  and 
mountains,  is  a  day  to  be  remembered.  Liberty  is  always 
associated  with  mountain  air,  and  on  that  day,  when  one'.s 
thoughts  are  on  the  nation  across  the  sea  where  the  spirit 
enkindled  in  these  mountain  fastnesses  found  its  complete 
fruition,  the  scenes  amid  which  Wallace  led  his  brave  High- 
land clans,  where  Bruce  stood  for  Scotland's  freedom,  where 
.freedom  and  liberty  had  battled  tyrants  from  age  to  age,  is 
doubly  inspiring.  The  martial  spirit  breathing  through 
these  lakes  and  mountains  is  akin  to  that  which  nerved  the 
hearts  of  the  farmers  of  Lexington,  who  "fired  the  shot 
heard  around  the  world."  One  feels  on  such  a  day,  in  such 
a  scene,  the  glow  of  highest  patriotism;  one's  heart  throbs 
with  purer  devotion  to  the  sacred  cause  of  liberty. 

There  were  ten  of  us  who  left  the  Cockburn  Hotel  in 
Glasgow  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  for  a  tour  through 
the  lakes  and  mountains.  There  was  a  New  England 
lawyer,  and  a  New  York  scribbler,  one  who  from  the  Con- 
necticut Valley  had  gone  out  to  fight  for  the  Union,  and  one 
from  Virginia  who  had  fought  for  the  South.  There  was 
an  adopted  German  citizen  from  Indiana,  a  genuine 
American  from  Pennsylvania,  two  ladies  and  a  young  mid- 
shipman, but  whether  from  north  or  south,  east  or  west,  all 
Americans  to-day,  in  thought  and  deed,  and  feeling  that  the 
anniversary  in  a  foreign  land  brought  them  closer  together, 

Soon  down  the  shores  of  the  river  Clyde  the  cars  Carried 
us  past  Dunbarton's  castled  rock  and  by  the  banks  of  the 
Leven  to  Balloch,  the  foot  of  Loch  Lomond.  Here  we 
take  the  little  steamer  "Rob  Roy"  and  sail  out  on  the  placid 
waters  of  Loch  Lomond  and  enter  the  enchanted  land  of 
the  great  magician,  Walter  Scott. 


THE   SCOTTISH  .LAKES.  179 

> 

The  characters  of  fiction  are  often-times  more  real  to  us 
than  those  of  history.  We  read  of  kings  and  queens  who 
had  actually  lived,  but  they  mean  no  more  to  us  and  often 
not  as  much  as  those  creations  of  the  romancer's  brain,  with 
whom  we  have  walked  and  talked  in  our  youthful  years 
when  the  fresh  young  imagination  has  given  them  life  and 
form. 

And  so  in  this  land  of  lakes  and  mountains,  there  is  a 
glamour  thrown  over  every  object,  associated  as  it  is  with 
the  figures  the  great  magician  has  called  before  our  youthful 
fancy.  We  do  not  see  it  as  it  is  at  all,  but  like  the  countries 
seen  in  dreams  it  is  peopled  with  vague  forms.  There  are 
Highland  warriors,  dark-haired  maidens,  knights  in  armor, 
the  pageants  of  courts,  the  clash  of  tourneys  and  deeds  of 
chivalry.  One  is  looking  through  the  poet's  eyes  and  not 
his  own,  if  he  would  thoroughly  enjoy  the  scene.  We  creep 
up  Loch  Lomond  by  inches,  for  each  isle  is  an  Inch- 
something,  and  there  are  a  hundred  of  them  through  which 
we  wind.  Each  tuni  opens  up  some  delightful  view  and 
brings  to  mind  some  legend.  Soon  Ben  Lomond  lifts  his 
bald  round  head  which  to-day  has  on  a  cap  of  clouds,  and 
in  the  distance  the  Cobbler  or  Ben  Arthur  lifts  up  his  ragged 
crest.  The  mountains  come  down  to  the  shores  of  the  lake, 
leaving  here  and  there  some  pleasant  vale  where  wealth  has 
placed  a  home.  Lomond  is  30  miles  in  length  and,  at  the 
lo\\er  end  and  broadest  part,  some  six  miles  wide.  The 
boat  stops  at  Luss  where  we  might  spend  a  pleasant  day  in 
its  romantic  glen;  at  Rowardennan  where  those  disembark 
who  are  to  climb  3,000  feet  up  Ben  Lomond's  side;  at 
Tarbet  where  the  lake  begins  to  narrow  and  where  there  is 
a  romantic  looking  castellated  hotel,  that  is  the  watering 
place  of  the  lake.  Finally  we  land  at  Inversnaid,  five  miles 
from  the  head  of  the  lake,  and  near  beyond  Rob  Roy's 
cave,  where  the  outlaw  chief  had  his  home.  He  was 
nothing  but  a  bold  cattle  thief  after  all,  but  we  only 
remember  his  heroic  virtues  as  given  by  the  novelist.  A 
pretty  waterfall  comes  tumbling  down  from  the  pass  of 


EDITORTAL   MISCELLANIES. 

Arcle  and  dashes  into  the  placid  waters  of  the  lake;  up  this 
romantic  glen  would  be  a  pleasant  walk,  but  instead  we- 
climb  into  a  coach  after  taking  a  furtive  glance  around  to 
see  if  Wordsworth's  sweet  highland  girl  is  among  the 
pretty  faces  on  the  hotel  piazza,  and  start  over  the  pass  for 
Loch  Katrine.-  The  smooth  road  winds  upward,  and  back- 
ward glances  show  Loch  Lommond  spread  out  like  a 
panorama  of  beauty  beneath  us.  Across,  Ben  Voirlich 
lifts  his  head,  king  of  the  neighboring  mountains,  dividing 
the  honors  with  Ben  Lomond.  On  one  side  of  the  road 
are  barren  fields  where  sheep  graze  among  the  rocks,  and 
on  the  other  the  glen  of  the  Arcle  that  empties  the  pretty 
little  Loch  Arcle,  by  whose  shores  a  pretty  little  cabin  is 
pointed  out  as  the  birth  place  of  Helen  Macgregor,  Rob 
Roy's  warlike  spouse.  Reaching  the  crest  of  the  pass  we 
see  before  usr  Ben  Venue  rising  in  majesty  among  the 
neighboring  peaks,  and  soon  descend  by  a  lovely  sylvan 
road  to  the  Stronachlacher  hotel  by  the  shores  of  Loch 
Katrine. 

Waiting  for  the  little  steamer  which  is  to  carry  us  the  ten 
miles  to  the  head  of  the  lake,  our  party  is  gathered  from 
woodland  walks  and  pretty  nooks  by  the  lake  into  the 
sitting  room  of  the  hotel,  where  a  brief  but  hearty  celebration 
of  the  glorious  Fourth  is  held  with  the  aid  of  half  a  dozen  of 
champagne  that  was  so  bad  as  not  to  encourage  the  vice 
of  intoxication.  The  folks  at  home,  Geo.  Washington,  our 
foreign  relations  in  the  perspn  of  our  courier,  were  all 
toasted,  and  the  soldier  who  fought  with  Lee  and  the  soldier 
Who  fought  with  Grant,  congratulate  each  other  over  a 
restored  union-  But  outside,  on  the  tiny  steamer  that  soon 
carried  us  out  under  the  shadow  of  Ben  Venue,  all  present 
things  vanished  under  the  spell  of  the  Lady  of  the  Lake. 
Still  in  imagination  echoed  the  war  cry  "Roderigh  Vich 
Alpine,  dhu  ho  I  ieroe  !  as  when  Clan  Alpine  came  rowing 
down  the  lake.  We  sweep  up  by  Ellen's  isle  and  by  the 
silver  strand,  on  to  the  "narrow  inlet  still  and  deep" 

"Where  the  rude  Trossach's  dread  defile 
Opens  on  Katrine's  lake  and  isle." 


THE   SCOTTISH    LAKES.  l8l 

It  is  a  scene  of  beauty  surely,  this  little  cove  arched  over 
with  its  trees,  so  still,  so  peaceful,  so  secluded,  guarded  by 
the  beetling  rock  called  Roderick's  Watchtower.  One 
would  linger  here  and  dream  and  see  again  the  fiction  which 
the  poet  weaves  about  the  fairy  vision.  But  coaches  are 
waiting  and  down  the  steep  defile,  full  of  quick  windings, 
on  one  side  a  precipice  and  the  other  a  cliff,  the  coach  rushes 
with  a  wild  speed,  that,  while  it  deprives  one  of  power  to 
take  in  all  the  rugged  beauty  of  the  pass,  adds  to  the  stirring 
emotions  of  adventure  that  befit  the  place.  On,  past  Lanark 
Mead  and  Loch  Achray  "until  the  brig  of  Turk  is  won," 
by  "Duncraggan's  huts,"  where  "Venachar  in  silver  flows," 
to  Coilantogle  Ford  and  the  round  hill  of '  Bochastle,  on 
which  are  some  remains  of  Roman  fortification,  and  which 
mark  Clan  Alpine's  outmost  guard.  We  have  come  back- 
ward up  through  the  scene  of  James  Fitz  James'  ride  and  no 
one  will  ever  dare  attempt  to  describe  it,  after  reading  Scott's 
matchless  description  in  the  Lady  of  the  Lake.  We  know 
the  poem  is  a  fact,  the  characters  all  real,  for  we  have  seen 
the  very  spots  their  feet  have  trod.  We  have  even  had 
pointed  out  the  very  rock  that  James  Fitz  James  swore 
should  fly,  "from  its  firm  base  as  soon  as  I,"  and  far  up  the 
slope  of  Ben  A-an  the  coachman  pointed  out  a  white  spot 
which  he  said  was  the  snow  white  steed  of  Snowdoun's 
Knight,  that  had  remained  where  it  fell  in  the  chase.  We 
believed  that  too,  and  would  have  believed  in  the  echo  of 
his  bugle  horn  if  that  had  been  produced. 

Ben  Ledi  veiled  its  head  in  a  thunder  storm  as  we  crossed 
the  Teith  and  saw  Callendar  before  us,  where  we  left  the 
coach  and  took  less  romantic  cars  for  Sterling,  sixteen  miles 
away  up  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Teith. 

A  strong  mixture  of  a  modern  and  antique  town  is  Stirling. 
On  its  main  street  is  much  good  modem  architecture,  but 
you  have  only  to  commence  to  climb  the  cliffs  towards  the 
castle's  hight  when  you  lose  yourself  in  little  narrow  crooked 
streets  that  were  evidently  not  laid  out  for  carriage  drive-. 
The  castle  stands  on  a  spur  terminating  the  north-western 
corner  of  the  town.  There  was  always  a  castle  at  Stirling 


j3'2  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES".. 

from  the  days  before  the  Romans.  It  was  a  royal  residence' 
of  James  I,  and  his  son  James  II  who  killed  the  Douglas,, 
was  born  here,  James  III  erected  the  parliament  building, 
and  James  IV,  who,,  having  had  his  father  disposed  of  at  a 
hunting  party,,  lived  here  in  magnificience  until  Flodden's- 
fatal  field.  James  V,  the  hero  of  Scott's  poem  of  the  L,ady 
of  the  L/ake,  was  born  here  in  1512,.  and  added  a  palace  to< 
the  fortress,  and  his  daughter  Mary,  was  crowned  Queen  of 
vScots  here  in  1542,  and  her  son  James  VI  of  Scotland  and 
First  of  England,  was  crowned  in  the  old  Greyfriars  church 
close  by.  His  school  room  where  his  tutor,  the  historian 
George  Buchanan,  tried  to  make  a  man.  of  him,  is  still, 
shown,  but  having  poor  material  only  produced  a  well 
developed  hog. 

The  castle  stands  on  an  elevation  340-  feet  above  the  plain. 
Reaching  the  esplanade  a  statue  of  Robert  Bruce  stands, 
sentinel,  looking  toward  the  field  of  Bannockburn.  Cross- 
ing the  empty  moat  now  used  for  athletic  games  by  the 
garrison,  we  pass  under  the  portcullis  arch,  by  the  batteries 
and  reach  another  archway  which  lets  us  through  to  the 
lower  square  on  which  fronts  the  palace  with  its  richly 
carved  exterior.  Through  the  upper  square  one  side  of 
which  is  the  parliament  house,  another  the  royal  chapel,  we 
pass  on  through  another  portal  out  through  a  garden  and 
ascend  the  ramparts.  All  the  interiors  are  now  used  for 
armories  and  barracks  for  the  garrison  and  we  only  get  an. 
outside  view  of  anything  but  what  is  known  as  the  Douglas 
room  where, 

"A  Douglas  by  his  sovereign  bled." 

From'  the  ramparts  is  the  fairest  scene  that  one  can  ever 
hope  to  look  upon.  On  one  side  stretches  the  fair  vale  of 
Mentieth,  down  which  winds  the  Teith  from  the  lakes.  A 
fair  plain  stretching  to  the  mountains;  the  cultivated  fields 
of  grain  look  from  the  hight  like  the  richest  carpet;  away 
in  the  distance  rises  Ben  L,omond.  Beneath  is  the  castle 
park.  To  the  left  in  the  distance  is  the  field  of  Bannock- 
burn.  In  old  times  the  long  stretch  of  level  land  was  a 
hunting  park,  where  the  nobility  chased  the  deer.  Right 


THE   SCOTTISH  "LAKES.  i%$ 

tinder  the  walls  was  a  tourney  ground,  where  a  mound  and 
ifine  display  of  foliage  gardening  marks  what  is  known  as 
King  Arthur's  round  table.  On  the  plain  beyond  is  a  camp 
of  the  volunteer  regiments  of  the  district  and  as  we  see  the 
regiments  wheeling  back  and  forth,  it  is  not  hard  to  carry 
one's  self  back  to  when  James  IV  marshalled  his  army  here 
before  the  fatal  fight  at  Flodden.  To  the  north-east  the 
silver  links  of  the  Forth  spanned  by  old  Stirling  bridge,  the 
4 'key  to  the  highlands,"  wind  through  the  rich  valley  which 
is  the  field  of  Wallace's  victory,  and  in  the  distance,  a 
monument  to  the  hero,  like  a  Cathedral  tower,  looks  over 
the  plain  where  the  battle  was  fought,  recalling  bloody 
Kirkpatrick  and  the  fearful  scenes  that  used  to  make  our 
youthful  locks  stand  up  when  we  read  about  them  in  the 
gory  pages  of  "The  Scottish  Chiefs," 

Between  us  and  the  town  is  the  old  Greyfriars  church 
where  John  Knox  thundered  maledictions,  and  in  the 
cemetery  about  it  is  a  pyramid  in  memory  to  the  Co- 
venanters who  fell  for  their  faith.  A  beautiful  marble 
group,  an  angel  bending  over  two  girls,  commemorates  the 
Virgin  Martyrs,  Margaret  and  Agnes  Wilson,  who>  during 
the  persecuting  reign  of  James  II  were  tied  to  stakes  at  low 
water  and  drowned  by  the  rising  of  the  Solway  tide  for 
refusing  to  renounce  the  Covenant.  Grandest  of  heroes  are 
those  who  have  died  for  their  faith,  whether  it  was  pagan, 
puritan  or  papistic,  and  all  broke  finally  that  intolerance 
which  no  sect  had  been  free  from.  Fitting  is  the  inscription: 

"O  Scotia's  daughters  !  earnest  scan  the  page, 

And  prize  the  flower  of  grace,  blood-bought  for  you." 

In  the  Douglas  room  of  the  castle  is  an  interesting  collec* 
tion  of  antiquities.  It  was  in  this  room  that  the  eighth  earl 
of  Douglas,  being  invited  to  a  conference  by  James  II  and 
refusing  to  make  certain  concessions  to  his  royal  master, 
was  cowardly  stabbed  by  the  monarch,  and  his  body  thrown 
from  the  window.  Queen  Victoria  has  memorialized  the 
deed  of  her  treacherous  ancestor  by  puttihg  in  a  stained 
glass  window  bearing  the  Douglas  arms  and  motto.  Nearly 


184  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

four  hundred  years  after  the  event,  the  skeleton  of  a  man  in 
armor  was  dug  up  beneath  this  window,  and  was  probably 
that  of  the  unfortunate  Karl. 

Mar's  Work  is  a  fine  old  ruin  of  the  i6th  century.  It  is 
said  that  the  Karl  of  Mar  commenced  it  as  a  palace,  taking 
the  stone  from  Cambuskenneth  Abbey.  It  was  predicted 
that  no  good  would  come  of  the  sacrilege,  and  sure  enough, 
the  Karl  was  struck  dead  while  the  work  was  going  on. 
No  one  cared  to  take  the  risk  of  ghostly  vengance,  and  so  it 
is  a  ruin  of  a  building  that  was  never  completed.  He 
seemed  to  understand  the  p2rils  of  high  position,  for  among 
the  inscriptions  by  the  portal  is  this: 

"The  more  I  stand  on  open  hight, 
My  faults  more  subject  are  to  sight." 

Above  the  entrance  are  the  royal  arms  of  Scotland,  and  on 
either  side  those  of  the  Regent  Mar  and  his  Countess. 

The  streets  of  Stirling  were  full  of  soldiery  as  we  descended 
from  the  castle  hill.  They  were  the  volunteers  of  the 
district  and  the  noise  of  bands  and  groaning  of  bag  pipes 
filled  the  air,  as  the  camp  was  broken  that  day  and  the 
soldiers  were  scattering  for  their  homes  among  the  high- 
lands. 

In  honor  of  the  day  we  had  procured  a  small  American 
flag  in  Glasgow.  It  had  floated  from  the  car  window  to 
Loch  Lomond,  streamed  from  the  bow  of  the  steamer  to 
Inversnaid  and  passed  like  the  cross  of  fire  clear  up  through 
Clan  Alpine's  ground.  For  a  shilling  we  had  captured 
Stirling  Castle  and  planted  our  banner  on  Snowdoun's 
towers.  We  furled  it  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  in 
Kdinburg,  "Kmpress  of  the  North."  We  had  been  at 
some  trouble  several  times  to  explain  our  seeming  eccen- 
tricity, with  a  history  of  Independence  day,  and  at  Stirling 
caused  some  wonder  as  to  what  new  Highland  Clan  had 
come  into  the  muster  with  a  banner  of  which  Scottish 
heraldry  spoke  not.  But  it  was  Fourth  of  July  and  we  had 
a  right  to  exercise  our  independence.  We  would  have 
captured  "Dun  Kdin's  steel  girt  brow"  if  it  had  not  been 
so  late. 


'HAMPTON    ROADS.  185 


HAMPTON  ROADS. 


OLD  POT  XT  COMFORT,  VA.,  April,  1890. 

It  was  a  beautiful  morning  when  we  arrived  here  by  the 
Potomac  steamer  from  Washington  ;  the  air  was  as  balmy 
as  June,  and  the  light  ocean  breeze  gave  a  peaceful  exhil- 
aration most  welcome  to  the  traveler.  \Ve  land  near  the 
Fortress,  where  a  large  hotel  stretching  along  the  shores  of 
the  beach  gives  entertainment  to  nearly  a  thousand  guests. 
\Ve.  however,  go  to  the  Sherwood,  more  central  iu  the 
village,  where  every  want  is  assiduously  attended  to,  and 
with  a  smaller  crowd. 

In  the  fort  are  all  the  requisites  of  defence  which  would 
seem  sufficient  to  withstand  the  most  powerful  fleet  in  the 
world. 

It  was  twenty-five  years  ago  in  February  when  we  first 
visited  this  place.  It  was  about  six  weeks  before  the 
surrender.  Large  .guns  were  frowning  from  the  parapets, 
and  ships  of  war  were  lying  at  anchor  ready  to  be  sent  on 
errands  of  destruction.  We  had  just  arrived  from  Baltimore, 
and  were  taking  breakfast,  when  a  gun  from  the  flag  ship 
broke  the  silence.  On  looking  out  the  ship  was  arrayed 
with  flags  from  stem  to  stern,  and  a  messenger  hastily  entered 
saying  "Port  Fisher  is  taken."  Then  there  was  cheering 
and  congratulation,  but  our  rejoicing  was  somewhat  modified 
by  the  fact  that  the  brave  boys  of  the  ii2th  were  there  and 
some  would  be  victims  of  the  attack. 

In  passing  out  that  morning  en  route  to  City  Point  then 
the  headquarters  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  we  passed  the 
rebel  ram  Merrimac  sheathed  with  railroad  iron  in  the  form 
of  a  roof  of  a  house,  thus  made  invulnerable  to  the  heaviest 
cannon  shot,  but  which  the  little  turreted  Monitor  succeeded 
in  capturing.  We  soon  after  passed  a  schooner,  with  raking 
masts,  sunk  to  the  top  of  her  main  mast.  She  had  been  a 


1 86  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

rebel  cruiser,  and  took  refuge  in  Brazillian  waters.  A 
captain  in  our  navy  cut  it  out  from  its  protection,  and  took 
it  to  Hampton  Roads.  The  Brazilians  of  course  protested 
against  our  violation  of  neutrality,  but  a  steamer  going  out 
from  the  port  carelessly  struck  her  midships  and  sunk  her  so 
there  was  no  more  talk  of  her  restoration  after  that.  We 
afterwards  met  at  Erie,  Pa.,  the  brave  captain  who  had 
violated  the  neutrality.  He  was  discharged  from  command, 
but  did  not  seem  to  have  much  regret  about  having  captured 
one  of  the  swiftest  rebel  cruisers,  and  thus  saving  many 
lives  and  much  property. 

In  the  fortress  are  several  highly  finished  cannons  and 
mortars,  captured  from  the  British  in  the  Revolutionary 
war,  and  one  or  two  from  the  French  in  the  French  war. 
They  show  that  great  progress  has  Jae,en  made  since  that 
time  in  warlike  munitions.  The  engraving  showing  the 
history  of  their  capture  was  very  interesting. 

From  the  fortress  a  ride  of  half  a  mile  or  so  brings  us  to 
the  Soldiers  Home,  located  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
spots  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  It  is  laid  out  in  flower  beds, 
walks  and  drives  of  exquisite  taste  and  beauty.  The  build- 
ings are  in  excellent  taste  and  would  give  the  old  veterans 
a  homelike  feeling.  In  one  of  the  buildings  is  a  library  and 
a  nicely  furnished  hall,  seated  in  opera  manner  with  a  large 
stage,  where  services  are  held  on  Sunday  and  lectures  and 
theatrical  performances  are  given  on  other  days  of  the  week. 
They  have  exlellent  services  from  preachers  of  different 
denominations  from  the  cities,  who  visit  Old  Point.  The 
arrangement  for  worship  and  amusement  in  the  same  build- 
ing is  a  good  idea. 

From  the  Soldiers  Home  we  proceeded  about  a  mile 
farther,  when  we  came  to  Hampton  School,  under  direction 
of  Gen.  Armstrong,  where  some  600  Indian  and  colored 
youths  are  acquiring  the  rudiments  of  education,  and  at  the 
same  time  fitting  themselves  for  usefulness  in  agricultural 
and  mechanical  avocations.  The  yearly  attendance  of 
colored  youths  is  ^from  400  to  500;  boarders  from  the 
neighboring  states  and  in  the  Whittier  (preparatory)  school 


HAMPTON    ROADS.  187 

are  some  300  more.  The  government  sends  from  the 
western  tribes  120  Indians,  paying  $167  each  for  their  board 
and  education  per  annum.  At  the  present  time  there  are 
139  Indians  (44  girls  and  95  boys, )  of  these  the  Sioux  have 
the  largest  number,  68,  Oneidas,  (Wis. )  21,  Omaha  and 
Winnebagos  each  10. 

There  are  15  tribes  in  this  school,  including  one  student 
from  the  Onondagas  in  this  state.  The  support  the  govern- 
ment gives  to  these  Indians  barely  pays  board  and  instruc- 
tion. Their  own  industry  makes  up  the  balance.  The 
Thomas  Indian  Orphan  Asylum  at  Versailles  has  100  pupils 
provided  for  by  the  State,  at  $100  each.  They  are  taught 
as  thoroughly  in  domestic  duties  as  in  Hampton,  but  have 
not  the  facilities  for  mechanical  instruction. 

Gen.  Armstrong  is  entitled  to  great  credit  in  the  manage- 
ment of  this  institution  and  particularly  in  combining  the 
support  of  the  two  races  in  the  same  school.  They  are  in 
separate  classes  but  have  the  same  care  and  control  and 
development  of  faculties  for  becoming  citizens. 

It  is  said  that  very  few  of  these  after  a  period  of  education- 
al development  as  in  Hampton  and  Carlisle,  return  to  the 
habits  of  barbarism,  while  some  have  intermarried  and 
become  the  teachers  of  home  civilization  in  their  respective 
tribes.  On  the  whole,  judging  from  the  report  recently 
made,  no  more  civilizing  influence  could  be  exerted  by  the 
government,  toward  preparing  the  Indians  for  citizenship  in 
their  respective  tribes.  It  is  alike  philanthropic  and 
patriotic,  and  will  tend  to  do  away  with  the  heathenish  idea 
that  "there  are  no  good  Indians  except  dead  ones."  No 
one  can  visit  these  schools  and  see  the  progress  made  in 
development  without  admiration  for  the  course  taken  by  our 
government  for  a  few  years  past  in  making  good  and  useful 
citizens  in  these  wards  of  the  nation. 

We  must  not  fail  to  mention  that  among  the  branches  of 
mechanical  progress  is  the  printing  office.  Here  is  a  well 
appointed  establishment,  under  a  competent  foreman,  where 
a  power  press  is  in  use,  which  prints  "The  Southern  Work- 
ing Man,"  a  paper  published  here,  which  is  ably  conducted 


I'8#  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

and  keeps  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  age.  It  publishes 
the  annual  reports,  and  blanks,  circulars  etc.  required  by 
this  large  institution,  the  work  of  which  is  done  by  the 
students  in  a  very  creditable  manner.  We  regret  that  we 
had  not  more  time  to  visit  in  detail  this  interesting  institu- 
tion. 

We  visited  the  National  cemetery  here  which  contains, 
the  mortal  remains  of  6,167  Union  soldiers,  whose  sacred 
dust  is  in  the  care  of  the  Nation,  and  where  skillful  over- 
sight makes  this  a  delightful  spot  for  the  repose  of  those 
who  gave  their  lives  for  that  of  the  nation. 

In  a  ride  through  the  town,  we  visited  an  old  church  built 
about  250  years  ago,  of  brick  brought  from  England:  It 
has  been  enlarged  and  improved  much  since,  but  the  original 
part  could  be  readily  discerned  by  the  appearance.  The 
bricks  of  the  original  structure  are  larger  and  harder,  pre- 
senting a  virtified  appearance  like  that  in  the  church  at 
Alexandria  where  Washington  was  a  warden  and  had  charge 
of  its  construction. 

Hampton  is  beautifully  located  and  is  well  designated  as 
"Old  Point  Comfort."  The  old  church  here  was  used  as- a 
hospital  during  the  late  war  of  the  rebellion,  as  were  all  the 
churches  in  Virginia  where  actual  war  prevailed.  Every 
church  in  Alexandria  when  we  were  there  in  March,  1865, 
was  used  as  a  hospital  except  the  one  where  Washington 
worshipped  and  three  or  four  colored  churches  which  were 
supposed  to  be  loyal.  Churches  made  excellent  hospitals 
with  the  seats  all  removed  and  cots  put  in  their  places.  The 
descendents  of  the  old  cavaliers  who  settled  in  Virginia  250 
years  before  had  prepared  these  churches  for  a  different  pur- 
pose, but  their  successors  having  become  traitors  they  were 
used  lor  a  better  purpose  than  the  propagation  of  treason 
against  the  government. 

The  vicinity  of  Hampton  Roads  has  been  of  great  historic 
interest  in  the  last  fourth  of  a  century.  It  was  here  that 
the  memorable  interview  took  place  between  Lincoln, 
Se\vard  and  Grant,  on  the  side  of  the  Nation,  and  A.  H. 
Stevens,  Judge  Campbell,  and  R.  M.  T.  Hunter,  on  the 


HAMPTON    ROADS.  189 

part  of  the  confederates,  to  close  the  war  without  further 
bloodshed.  The  confederacy  was  in  its  last  stages  of 
existence,  and  they  sought  for  an  easier  death  than  was  in 
store  for  them.  They  had  sought  for  an  interview  previously 
at  City  Point,  but  our  government  would  not  consider  the 
status  of  the  rebels  as  a  government,  so  the  credentials  were 
rejected  and  they  returned  without  the  interview.  Some 
few  days  later  they  met  on  a  dispatch  boat  which  brought 
the  President,  Mr.  Seward  and  Gen.  Grant  here  from  Wash- 
ington, their  credentials  this  time  not  requiring  a  recognition 
even  by  implication  of  the  existence  of  the  confederate 
government,  but  simply  as  belligerents.  But  the  greatest  of 
statesmen  and  warriors  of  the  century,  Lincoln  and  Grant, 
were  firm  that  there  should  be  no  capitulation  different  from 
that  demanded  by  Grant  at  Fort  Donaldson,  that  of  uncon- 
ditional surrender,  and  the  truce  between  the  belligerants 
ended.  Fort  "Hell"  and  its  counter  fort  on  the  rebel  side 
then  resumed  their  sulphurous  detonations  till  Petersburg 
was  captured  on  the  second  of  April.  The  fair  minded 
Stevens  could  not  tail  to  approve  of  this  conclusion  in  his 
innermost  convictions. 

A  sail  of  some  two  hours  on  a  New  York  steamer  brought 
us  up  the  James  to  Portsmouth  where  the  United  States" 
;.  Yard  is  located.  Here  one  of  the  new  line  of  battle 
ships,  the  "Texas,"  is  being  constructed,  the  keel  is  laid 
and  she  is  now  on  the  stocks.  The  old  war  ship  Brooklyn 
is  anchored  here,  having  been  condemned  and  is  to  be 
broken  up.  It  seems  a  pity  that  this  old  ship  which  had 
bore  such  a  gallant  part  in  the  capture  of  New  Orleans  and 
Mobile  should  be  destroyed. 

A   SKCOND  VISIT  TO  TIIK  PKXINSULA. 

RICHMOND,  Va..  April,  1890. 

Dear  Censor: — Our  route  from  Norfolk  toward  Petersburg 
lay  through  the  northern  part  of  the  Dismal  Swamp,  which 
extends  from  North  Carolina  into  Virginia.  It  was  a 
desolate  looking  region,  mostly  treeless  and  shrubless.  the 


[gO  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

standing  or  sluggish  water  on  each  side  of  the  track  making: 
a  desolate  appearance.  We  passed  through  Petersburg  on 
toward  evening  and  we  found  quite  a  contrast  with  twenty- 
five  years  before.  In  March,  1865,  there  were  150,000  men 
wishing  to  go  into  the  city,  and  the  people  inside  with  their 
friends  of  the  confederacy  as  determined  that  they  should 
not.  Now  the  railroad  train  with  several  car  loads  of 
passengers  go^s  in  without  any  kind  of  trouble,  the  whistles 
shriek  and  bells  ring  to  announce  our  arrival,  and  not  a 
hostile  man  opposes  our  approach.  What  has  made  this 
change  ?  Simply  that  then  we  were  at  warr  and  now  at 
peace.  Then  there  were  miles  of  earthworks  and  rifle  pitsr 
forts  lined  with  abattis  (trees  fastened  at  the  butts  in  the 
bank  and  the  limbs  projecting  down  the  sides  with  sharpened 
points)  sentinels  watching  every  point  of  defense,  ready  to 
shoot  the  intruder.  Now  the  earthworks  are  grown  over 
with  trees,  and  show  but  little  indication  of  the  bloody 
strife  which  was  then  going  on. 

We  were  ambitious  Jo  see  Petersburg  then,  but  had  not 
the  courage  to  venture  in.  We  had  a  glimpse  over  at  the 
tops  of  the  buildings,  and  tall  chimneys,  but  it  was  only  a 
glimpse.  Our  quarters  were  with  the  5th  Corps,  Gen. 
Meade  commanding.  One  day  soon  after  our  arrival,  CoL 
Erastus  D.  Holt,  commanding  the  49th  N.  Y.  Reg't,  came 
to  the  tent  in  our  absence  and  left  word  that  unless  we 
visited  him  soon  he  would  shoot  us.  Not  liking  the  penalty 
we  in  two  or  three  days  visited  him  and  the  boys  in  blue 
Under  his  command,  many  of  whom  were  of  our  village.  It 
Was  a  pleasant  meeting.  After  dinner  the  Col.  proposed 
that  we  should  take  a  ride  nearer  the  front,  and  mounting 
our  horses  we  made  our  way  to  an  elevation  where  our 
picket  lines  were,  and  some  forty  rods  away  were  the  lines 
of  the  rebs,  all  in  plain  sight  of  each  other  and  in  the  inter- 
mediate space  they  often  met  to  exchange  newspapers,  coffee, 
tobacco,  etc.  A  tall  pine  tree  stood  by  our  lines,  in  the 
sides  of  which  holes  were  bored  and  rounds  put  in  to 
facilitate  climbing. 

Col.  Holt  said  "Mack;  by  climbing  that   tree  you  can  get 


HAMPTON    ROADS.  1 9! 

a  sight  of  Petersburg."  \Ve  thought  that  would  be  a  sight 
•well  worth  seeing,  and  so  dismounting  we  climbed  up,  and 
were  just  enjoying  the  view,  when  the  colonel  observed  a 
suspicious  movement  on  the  part  of  a  rebel  picket,  and 
called  to  us  to  come  down,  as  "that  fellow  may  get  a  shot 
at  you."  So  we  concluded  that  we  had  rather  climb  down 
than  fall  down,  for  the  fall  might  hurt  us.  So  we  did 
not  see  any  more  of  Petersburg  till  now,  after  a  lapse  of 
over  twenty-five  years. 

In  about  four  weeks  from  the  time  we  met  Col.  Holt  the 
brave  army  of  the  Potomac  broke  through  the  line,  (April 
2d )  and  captured  the  city,  and  seven  days  after  the  capture 
of  Petersburg  Gen.  Lee  and  the  confederate  army  under 
him  was  captured  at  Appomattox.  But  Col.  Holt  was 
killed  in  the  capture  of  the  city.  Thus  the  life  was  lost  of 
one  of  the  bravest  and  most  patriotic  men  who  ever  wore  the 
blue.  That  day  on  which  we  visited  him  was  the  last  time 
we  saw  him.  His  regiment  had  seen  hard  fighting  in  the 
Shendoah  Valley,  and  was  reduced  from  1,000  strong  when 
it  first  went  to  the  field,  to  about  400  men.  Col.  Holt  had 
once  been  severely  wounded,  and  came  home  on  a  furlough 
to  recover,  and  returned  to  the  field  as  soon  as  he  was  able 
to  endure  the  inarch.  No  more  appropriate  name  could  be 
given  the  G.  A.  R.  Post  of  Fredonia  than  that  commemorat- 
ing the  heroic  bravery  and  true  patriotism  of  Col.  Erastus 
D.  Holt. 

Col-.  Holt  first  enlisted  in  the  6th  Massachusetts  regiment 
so  as  to  be  early  in  the  field.  He  resided  in  Hamilton, 
Canada,  when  the  war  broke  out,  where  he  could  have 
escaped  conscription,  but  he  hastened  to  the  defense  of  his 
country.  He  was  one  of  those  who  marched  through 
Baltimore  in  those  perilous  times  when  the  government 
troops  were  fired  upon  in  that  disloyal  city.  After  enduring 
the  toils  and  privations  of  four  years  of  war,  that  he  should 
have  lost  his  life  so  near  its  triumphant  close  seems  inex- 
pressibly sad.  How  happy  would  he  have  been  could  his 
life  have  been  spared  to  join  with  the  victorious  army  in 


192  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

that   grand   review   at  Washington,  amid   the   acclaims  of 
millions  of  rejoicing  people. 

But  though  he  died  when  victory  was  nearly  achieved, 
yet  his  memory  will  be  kept  green  in  the  hearts  of  a  grateful 
people  and  especially  in  his  old  home,  where  he  was  so  long 
a  highly  respected  citizen,  and  where  his  patriotic  devotion 
to  his  imperiled  Country  was  so  well  known.  His  honored 
grave  in  Forest  Hill  Cemetery  will  ever  receive  the  most 
beautiful  tribute  of  flowers  which  his  devoted  sisters  and  a 
grateful  people  can  bestow  upon  it  on  each  recurring 
Memorial  Day,  while  patriotic  valor  is  honored  and  tender 
affection  weeps  for  the  loved  and  lost. 

DEATH  OF  A  NOBLE  PHILANTHROPIST. 

News  is  received  of  the  death  of  Gen.  S.  C.  Armstrong, 
who  died  at  the  Normal  Institute  of  Hampton,  Va.,  on  the 
nth  of  May,  1893,  aged  56  years. 

Ever  since  the  war  he  has  devoted  his  life  to  the  manual 
training  of  the  young  colored  people  and  Indians  of  both 
sexes.  He  often  had  as  many  as  1,000  under  his  care. 
Gen.  Armstrong  was  born  at  Honolulu,  Hawaii,  of  mission- 
ary parents.  The  son  of  a  missionary  and  Minister  of 
Education,  he  aspired  in  his  youth  to  devote  himself  as  his 
father  had  done,  to  some  humane  work.  The  American 
Civil  War  diverted  him  temporally  from  his  purpose, 
although  he  agreed  with  John  Bright  in  declaring  the  battle 
for  the  emancipation  of  a  race  the  most  righteous  warfare  in 
history.  At  the  close  of  hostilities  after  he  had  distinguish- 
ed himself  by  his  gallantry  in  the  field  and  his  privations  in 
prison,  his  real  work  in  life  began  at  Hampton,  where  the 
school  for  negroes  and  Indians  remain  as  his  monument. 
No  missionary  in  foreign  service  ever  labored  with  greater 
devotion  than  Gen.  Armstrong  for  this  educational  founda- 
tion. Year  after  year  its  resources  were  dependent  upon  his 
success  in  enlisting  the  support  of  the  Virginia  Legislature, 
the  United  States  Congress,  and  humane  men  who  respected 
his  earnestness  and  had  not  the  heart  to  refuse  their  aid. 

His  arduous  work  in  the  end  wore  him  out,  but  not  until 
he  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  it  had  been  crowned 
with  success,  and  that  the  Hampton  School  had  im- 
measurably improved  the  social  religious  condition  of  two 
neglected  races. — [CENSOR  of  May  17,  1893.] 


ABOUT    NANTUCKET. 


ABOUT  NANTUCKET, 


NANTUCKET,  Mass,,  Sept,  i,<i88o. 

The  longer  one  stays  on  this  Island  the  more  interesting 
does  it  become.  We  are  here  carried  back  into  the  dim 
past  by  the  relics  of  former  years  as  no  other  place  can  carry 
us.  Last  Sunday  we  attended  church,  in  the  rear  of  which 
stands  the  first  church  edifice  erected  on  the  Island. 
The  timbers  were  of  white  oak,  then  growing  plentifully 
here,  and  showing  into  the  room.  It  was  built  in  1716. 
Like  the  other  ancient  buildings,  it  was  shingled  all  the  way 
down.  The  high  pulpit  and  sounding  board  over  it,  and 
the  high  square  pews,  are  removed,  but  to  those  who  have 
seen  these  quaint  old  edifices,  the  imagination  readily 
restores  it  to  its  primitive  arrangement.  But  what  scenes 
has  it  witnessed?  Here  the  men  and  women  who  lived 
nearly  two  hundred  years  ago,  assembled  for  worship,  clad 
in  the  fashions  of  the  times,  the  men  wearing  the  cocked 
hat,  under  which  the  queue  was  neatly  tied  and  hung  down 
upon  the  back,  or  looped  up  to  the  back  hair,  and  wearing 
garments  which  their  wives  and  daughters  manufactured 
from  the  flax  and  wool  of  their  own  raising,  the  women  in 
winter  carrying  their  foot-stoves,  and  each  family  sitting  in 
the  square  pew  facing  each  other,  and  only  on  one  side 
facing  the  pulpit.  They  were  people  of  stern  virtues,  and 
no  doubt  the  influence  of  their  example  was  greatly  felt  in 
that  community  for  the  nearly  two  centuries  which  have 
passed  since  they  were  the  regular  attendants  at  this  old 
church  edifice.  In  the  old  French  war,  many  a  sincere 
prayer  was  offered  here  for  the  success  of  the  mother  country 
against  the  people  who  had  slain  the  Huguenots  or  driven 
them  from  their  shores,  and  whose  whole  governmental 
power  was  on  the  side  of  Papacy  against  Protestantism. 
And  those  who  joined  the  New  England  forces  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  on  the  plains  of  Abraham,  under  Gen. 


194  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

Wolf,  went  forth  with  many  prayers  offered  in  their  behalf 
from  these  venerable  walls.  And  again  when  the  news  of 
the  battle  of  Lexington  was  carried  to  these  shores,  and  the 
call  was  made  to  resist  taxation  without  representation,  the 
stamp  tax  and  all  other  acts  of  British  aggression,  the  call 
was  here  promptly  responded  to,  and  the  hardy  seamen 
engaged  most  heartily  in  the  contest  to  save  the  country, 
and  no  doubt  the  God  of  Nations  was  most  earnestly  im- 
plored within  these  venerable  walls  to  guide  the  struggling 
colonies  to  success,  and  that  heartfelt  thanks  were  rendered 
to  the  Great  Ruler  of  the  Universe  for  the  blessings  of  peace 
and  independent  nationality  vouchsafed  to  the  country. 

A  visit  to  the  Cemetery  where   the  dead  of  two  centuries 
have  been    buried  told  a  story    of  sorrow  for   the  loved  ones 
departed,    and   their   virtues  were  recorded  with    a   loving 
remembrance.     The  older  grave  stones  could  not  be  readily 
deciphered,  but  one  of  about  sixty  years  ago,  erected  to  the 
memory  of  a  young   married   lady,  who  died    Oct.  7,  1820, 
aged  20  years  and  7  months,  is  as  follows: 
"Beneath  this  stone  doth  lie, 
As  much  of  virtue  as  could  die, 
Which  when  alive  did  vigor  give 
To  as  much  beauty  as  could  live." 

Many  such  have  no  doubt  lived  on  this  Island  whose 
virtues  are  unchronicled. 

Another  place  of  interest  is  the  jail.  It  was  built  in  the 
primitive  style,  of  oak  logs  hewed  square  and  shingled  over 
on  top  and  sides.  It  was  two  stories  ifi  height,  and  would 
accommodate  a  dozen  or  so  of  prisoners.  There  was  one 
window  to  each  room,  over  which  strong  iron  bars  were 
spiked,  so  as  to  prevent  egress  through  them.  It  is  now 
tenantless  and  has  been  so  most  of  the  time  for  many  years. 
The  jailor's  residence  was  near  by,  and  he  kindly  showed 
us  through  the  rooms,  which  were  neatly  whitewashed  over 
the  hewn  logs  and  looked  comfortable.  He  receives  $50 
per  year  for  keeping  the  jail,  and  we  presume  there  is  little 
competition  for  the  appointment.  When  there  are  prisoners 
he  receives  $2.50  per  week  each  for  their  board.  We  were 


ABOUT   NANTUCKET.  195 

informed  that  some  years  ago  a  prisoner  was  allowed  to 
board  at  home,  and  returned  regularly  from  his  meals  to 
the  jail.  The  jailor  informed  us  that  this  was  incorrect. 
The  prisoner  had  his  meals  sent  to  him  from  his  home,  and 
the  county  paid  his  family  for  his  board.  The  tenantle&s 
jail  showed  the  prevailing  honesty  of  the  people,  and  every 
indication  in  this  quaint  old  place  showed  the  pervading 
purity  of  character  of  the  old  Puritans  who  settled  here. 
The  Poor  House  had  about  40  tenants,  who  were  well  cared 
for.  The  building  was  more  attractive  to  occupants. 

The  early  attention  to  education  is  shown  by  the  fine 
school  buildings  and  the  general  intelligence  of  the  people. 
We  inquired  of  a  bright  lad  who  was  blacking  boots  at  the 
hotel,  about  the  schools,  who  informed  us  that  he  attended 
the  Coffin  school,  and  during  his  vacation  performed  such 
service  as  he  could  get  to  supply  his  clothes.  The  Coffin 
school  was  established  in  1826,  by  Admiral  Coffin  of  the 
British  navy,  who  had  been  a  member  of  Parliament.  He 
was  born  in  Boston,  but  his  parents  were  from  this  Island. 
He  visited  here  about  that  time,  and  gave  250  pounds 
sterling  to  found  the  school  for  the  family.  The  lad  said 
his  grand-mother  was  a  Coffin  and  he  was  entitled  to  the 
privileges  of  the  school,  which  now  had  some  90  pupils. 

It  must  be  saddening  to  the  older  inhabitants  to  see  the 
general  decay  of  business  in  the  Island.  The  war  of  the 
revolution  and  of  1812  greatly  depleted  the  business,  each 
reducing  the  fishery  enterprise,  and  now  the  kerosene  oil 
discovery  has  nearly  used  it  up.  In  1840  there  were  70 
vessels  engaged  in  the  whale  fisher}',  and  valued  at  $6,000,- 
ooo.  They  had  five  long  wharves,  ten  rope  walks,  36 
candle  factories,  with  sail  lofts,  cooper  shops, etc.,  to  match. 
Now  these  have  mostly  disappeared.  In  1846  a  terrible 
fire  destroyed  over  $1,000,000  of  property,  from  which  it  has 
never  recovered.  Farms  can  be  bought  at  $i  to  $5  per 
acre,  and  slow  sale  at  that.  As  a  place  of  resort,  during 
the  warm  summer  months,  it  will  recover  some  of  its  former 
prosperity.  It  is  some  thirty  miles  from  the  main  land,  and 
always  has  a  sea  breeze.  An  influx  at  this  season  of  one  or 


ig6  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

two  thousand  people  makes  business  for  the  time,  and  blue 
fishing  is  rare  sport  for  the  visitors.  The  old  captains  of 
whale  ships,  who  are  ever  ready  to  render  their  sendees, 
make  this  a  source  of  great  enjoyment  to  the  visitor.  We 
greatly  enjoyed  one  of  these  trips.  For  variety  the  skipper 
will  take  his  party  outside  the  bay  and  take  sharks.  We 
did  not  have  any  of  this  amusement,  but  saw  two  hauled  up 
on  the  beach,  one  of  which  was  nine  feet  long,  and  would 
weigh  about  450  pounds.  We  despoiled  him  of  some  of  his 
teeth,  but  would  not  like  to  be  so  near  him  were  he  alive. 

There  are  two  newspapers  printed  on  the  Island,  which 
during  the  warm  season  are  well  supported.  The  Inquirer 
&  Mirror  is  a  neatly  printed  paper  with  about '1300  average 
circulation.  There  are  two  mails  a  day  in  the  summer,  but 
in  winter  sometimes  access  to  the  Island  is  difficult.  The 
editor  informed  us  that  winter  before  last,  at  one  time,  they 
were  twenty-one  weeks  without  a  mail  from  the  outside 
world.  It  must  have  been  a  job  to  read  up  the  avalanche 
of  papers  which  would  be  received  when  the  blockade  was 
broken.  About  one-third  of  the  circulation  is  by  mail  to 
all  parts  of  the  world. 

Among  those  who  have  resorted  to  the  Island  this  season, 
are  Cha's  O' Conner,  of  New  York,  Burdett,  of  the  Burling- 
ton Hawkeye,  CrofFuth,  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  E.  F. 
Underbill,  formerly  of  our  county,  and  others  of  note. 

The  hotels  are  good,  the  people  quiet  and  pleasant,  and 
as  a  place  of  resort  and  recuperation,  np  place  can  be  better 
suited  for  the  purpose. 


THOUSAND    ISLANDS.  1 97 


THOUSAND  ISLANDS. 


August  8,  1884. 

Dear  Censor: — A  ride  of  18  hours  from  Buffalo,  via. 
Niagara  Falls,  Charlotte,  Oswego,  and  along  the  shores  of 
Lake  Ontario,  brings  one  to  Watertown,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful,  enterprising  and  prosperous  cities  of  the  State. 
Here  I  was  met  by  Beman  Brockway,  of  the  Watertown 
Times,  and  L.  L.  Pratt,  formerly  of  tne  Fredonia  Advertiser. 
Fifty-two  years  ago  we  three  were  apprentices  together  in 
the  Northampton  Courier  office.  In  due  time  we  all  went 
West,  long  before  Horace  Greeley  gave  the  sage  advice. 
At  times  we  have  been  separated,  but  now  we  are  together 
enjoying  the  unparalleled  beauties  of  the  Thousand  Islands 
— a  region  never  thought  of  as  a  place  of  resort,  and 
scarcely  mentioned  by  tourists  in  our  younger  days.  Forty 
years  ago  I  had  been  to  Niagara  Falls  and  seen  that 
wonderful  cataract,  noted  in  the  old  English  Reader,  our 
text  book  at  school,  in  which  Oliver  Goldsmith  described 
its  awful  grandeur,  and  how  the  Indians  in  their  bark 
canoes  shot  its  seething  rapids  in  safety;  but  the  Thousand 
Islands  had  no  such  place  in  English  literature. 

These  Islands  of  the  St.  Lawerence  present  a  most  charm- 
ing picture  of  natural  scenery;  and  it  is  not  surprising, 
when  their  beauties  are  known,  that  they  should  become 
the  resort .  of  the  men  of  letters  for  a  rest  from  their  long 
brain  labor,  to  the  men  of  business  who  seek  respite  for  a 
few  days  or  weeks  from  the  turmoil  and  strife  of  commercial 
life,  to  the  educator  who  has  assiduously  labored  for  nine 
months  in  training  the  young  ideas  in  intellectual  archery, 
and  the  mechanic  wh6  puts  off  the  greasy  habiliments  of 
daily  toil  to  spend  a  little  time  in  recreation,  and  to  the 


1 98  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

professional  man  who  seeks  rest  in  communion  with  nature 
from  the  weary  preparation  of  mental  pabulum,  and  perhaps 
to  the  relief  of  his  more  weary  congregation  or  clients. 

But  we  are  wandering,  and  that  is  what  we  came  here 
for.  We  took  the  large  and  elegant  steamer  St.  Lawrence 
at  Cape  Vincent  for  Alexandria  Bay,  about  30  miles  down 
the  river.  We  passed  very  many  beautiful  islands,  where 
wealth  and  taste  had  fitted  up  elegant  summer  residences. 
Some  of  these  islands  are  so  small  that  but  a  single  house 
occupied  the  whole.  One  of  these  is  where  Gov.  Alvord 
recreates,  receives  his  friends  and  catches  the  finny  occu- 
pants of  the  deep  waters.  The  river  varies  in  width  as  we 
proceed  down,  from  a  mile  to  ten  miles,  meandering  among 
the  thousand  gems  that  lift  their  heads  above  the  blue 
waters,  the  islands  varying  in  size  from  two  or  three  square 
rods  to  miles  in  length,  with  thousands  of  acres  of  arable 
land,  or  with  beautiful  groves,  in  the  midst  of  which  are 
neat  cottages  where  families  are  enjoying  sweet  com- 
munion with  each  other,  free  from  care  and  anxiety,  and 
the  little  ones  have  no  restraint  of  the  stern  teacher  to 
compel  them  to  get  their  lessons,  and  when  text  books  are 
cast  aside  as  so  much  rubbish  and  bidden  not  to  interfere 
with  their  enjoy mehts, 

From  Alexandria  Bay  we  totfk  the  steamer  Island 
Wanderer,  visited  several  of  the  islands,  and  landed  in  early 
evening  at  Westminster  Park,  '  on  Wells  Island.  This 
Island  is  about  nine  miles  long — somewhat  longer  than  the 
Island  of  Nantucket — on  the  east  of  which  are  the  Pres- 
byterian grounds.  The  "Westminster  Assembly,"  we  may 
as  well  call  it,  has  500  acres  of  beautiful  grounds,  a  large 
hotel  and  annex,  a  fine  chapel,  numerous  neat  cottage  resi- 
dences, and  well  is  laid  out  roads  and  grounds, with  beautiful 
views  from  every  direction.  A  sunset  view  over  the  broad 
waters  of  the  bay,  the  puffing  steamers  as  they  go  on  their 
winding  way  from  island  to  island,  the  light  row  boats  with 
the  Ike  Waltons  returning  from  their  sport  of  capturing  the 
finny  tribes,  form  one  of  the  scenes  that  will  be  indelibly 


THOUSAND    ISLANDS.  1 99 

impressed  upon  the  mind.  The  area  of  the  Park  is  laid  out 
into  lots  of  about  40  by  80  feet,  and  several  hundred  are  sold, 
many  of  them  built  upon,  and  excellent  and  refined  society 
is  thus  formed  in  this  delightiul  retreat.  A  relative  of 
Fighting  Joe  Hooker,  who  was  a  native  of  old  Hadley, 
Mass.,  built  a  costly  and  delightful  mansion  on  the  bluff 
adjoining  the  hotel,  where  his  sisters  now  reside.  We  were 
pleasantly  entertained  at  the  hotel,  where  500  guests  can 
find  ample  accommodation. 

Our  next  stopping  place  of  interest  was  at  the  Thousand 
Island  Park,  farther  up  the  river,  but  on  the  same  island. 
This  enterprise,  somewhat  similar  to  Chautauqua  in  many 
respects,  is  under  the  patronage  of  the  Methodist  denomina- 
tion. It  is  the  largest  and  most  prosperous  of  the  Island 
resorts.  It  was  commenced  nine  years  ago,  when  a  company 
purchased  1,000  acres  of  the  land  at  $i6per  acre.  They 
proceeded  to  lay  out  a  part  of  the  grounds  for  cottage  sites, 
graded  about  ten  miles  of  road,  and  built  a  splendid  summer 
hotel,  with  accommodations  for  500  guests,  at  a  cost  of  some 
$40,000.  The  Association  has  sold  $80,000  worth  of  lots, 
40  by  80  feet — $24,000  worth  last  year.  They  sell  at  an 
average  of  about  $80  per  lot.  There  is  now  a  resident 
population  of  about  5,000.  A  farm  of  600  acres  of  rich  soil 
supplies  garden  vegetables,  with  wood,  grain,  hay  and 
pasture.  The  milk  of  150  cows  is  used  on  the  grounds. 
About  twenty  steamers  arrive  and  depart  daily  at  this  and 
the  other  places  of  resort,  besides  innumerable  yachts  and 
boats  of  all  descriptions.  A  grocery  store  sold  $25,000 
worth  of  goods  during  the  season.  We  are  greatly  indebted 
to  Rev.  M.  D.  Kinney,  President  of  the  Association,  for 
kind  attention  and  a  pleasant  drive  over  the  grounds. 

Our  next  stopping  place  was  at  Round  Island  Park. 
This  is  under  Baptist  auspices.  We  did  not  observe,  how- 
ever, that  the  people  took  to  the  water  more  readily  than 
the  other  islanders.  In  fact,  all  have  to  get  to  the  outer 
world  by  water.  The  plan  of  this  resort  is  like  the  others. 
The  ground  is  plotted,  lots  sold,  and  an  intelligent  and 


200  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

agreeable  community  gathered.  The  grounds  are  delight- 
ful, the  views  of  the  river  and  other  islands,  charming,  and 
might  lead  one  to  wish  to  stay  on  this  side  the  river  rather 
than  take  the  chances  of  enjoying  the  "green  fields  beyond 
the  swelling  flood."  The  Association  is  a  stock  company 
with  $50,000  capital;  441  lots  and  42  avenues  were  laid  out. 
The  avenues  were  named  after  Baptist  Colleges  and 
Academies,  Presidents,  etc.  A  fine  hotel,  markets  and 
restaurants  are  conveniently  located  and  every  accessory  of 
comfort  and  rest  are  provided.  The  cottages  in  this  and  all 
other  places  of  resort  on  the  islands,  are  in  advance  of  those 
at  Chautauqua.  The  lots  are  larger,  and  the  architectual 
taste  of  a  higher  order.  The  gay  and  variegated  colors  of 
the  neat  cottages,  the  large  and  roomy  verandas,  the  outlook 
for  miles  over  the  river  and  numerous  islands  and  the  distant 
shore,  all  lend  a  charm  that  is  entrancing  to  the  sight.  The 
Baptist  brethren  are  not  at  all  exclusive  in  their  cozy  island 
— all  are  welcome,  and  we  are  told  that  more  Episcopalians 
resort  to  this  place  than  any  other  denomination.  All  these 
islands  of  resort  are  under  the  stars  and  stripes,  and  like  the 
characteristics  of  our  government,  all  denominations  are 
welcome  to  their  hearts  and  homes. 

And  now  that  we  have  visited  the  three  denominational 
places,  if  asked  which  we  liked  best  it  would  be  hard  to 
answer. 

It  may  be  surprising,  but  it  showrs  how  like  birds  of 
passage  the  American  people  are  becoming.  When  we  state 
that  probably  50,000  people  seek  the  resorts  of  the  Islands 
and  shores  of  the* St.  Lawrence  for  their  summer  vacation— 
when  it  is  taken  into  account  also  the  numbers  who  visit 
Chautauqiia,  the  Springs,  the  sea  shore  and  other  places  of 
resort,  and  that  the  number  is  constantly  increasing,  the 
progress  of  the  age  in  this  direction  will  be  more  obvious. 
And  then  when  100,000  people  from  the  North  go  to  Florida 
and  the  shores  of  the  Gulf  in  winter,  to  escape  the  inclem- 
encies of  a  more  hyperborean  latitude,  it  will  be  seen  that 
this  migratory  habit  is  of  equal  benefit  to  the  South.  This 


THOUSAND    ISLANDS,  2OI 

inter  change  is  fast   making  our  nation  a  unit,  and    make  it 
more  impossible  to  sever  the  Union. 

We  have  seen  something  of  our  great  Nation  and  its 
diversified  interests,  and  beautiful,  grand  and  picturesque 
scenery.  By  the  wilderness  of  the  Northern  Pacific,  the 
angry  rush  of  waters  in  the  Dalles  of  the  St.  Louis,  by  the 
palm  lined  banks  of  the  placid  St.  John,  where  the  water 
turkey  rests  in  the  sedges,  and  the  herron  skims  through  the 
moss-bannered  oaks;  by  the  sombre  cedar-covered  isles  of 
the  Apostles,  and  the  Sault  St.  Mary,  where  the  Indians  in 
their  birch  canoes  brave  the  torrent,  and  in  the  placid  Bay 
of  Mobile  by  tha  forts  that  Farra^ut  passed  to  undying 
fame;  by  Pensacola's  sandy  shore,  where  the  ships  of  all 
nations  gather;  by  New  England's  lovely  valleys,  and  the 
boundless  prairies  of  the  West;  north,  south,  east  and  west 
have  we  wandered,  but  we  feel  that  this  most  delightful  trip 
among  the  islands  of  the  St.  Lawrence  is  the  climax  of  them 
all.  Here  nature  blends  with  mental  delights  her  choicest 
scenery,  and  here  in  these  retreats  is  held  so  much  of  the 
intellectual  culture  that  flies  here  to  commune  with  itself, 
where  nature  is  in  harmony  with  the  highest  aspirations. 


202  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


FROM  LAKE  ERIE  TO  LAKE  SUPERIOR. 


STEAMP;R  BADGER  STATE, 
LAKE  HURON,  Aug.  n,  1890. 

Dear  Censor. — We  left  Cleveland  last  Friday  evening  for 
Detroit.  The  city  of  Cleveland  is  a  large  and  fine  boat 
coasting  between  that  city  and  Detroit,  leaving  in  the  even- 
ing and  arriving  every  morning  at  Detroit.  Our  friend  Mr. 
Stevens  had  arranged  for  our  passage,  and  as  the  departure 
of  boats  was  somewhat  deranged  by  the  breakage  of  a  lock 
on  the  Sault  St.  Marie  canal,  the  boat  was  two  days  late  in 
her  regular  trip,  and  made  no  stop  until  Detroit  was  reached. 
This  left  the  day  in  that  city  which  was  wrell  improved  in 
going  'through  the  principal  streets  and  excursions  on  the 
river.  The  most  attractive  of  these  trips  is  to  Belle  Island, 
of  some  500  acres,  which  the  city  owns  and  has  laid  out 
most  beautifully,  and  to  which  boats  run  every  20  minutes 
during  warm  weather.  We  passed  through  the  principal 
avenues  by  electric  cars,  and  on  Woodward  Ave.  saw  many 
delightful  residences,  large  and  handsome  churches  in  the 
process  of  erection,  fine  public  buildings,  a  grand  soldiers' 
monument  on  the  public  square,  and  every  evidence  of  an 
opulent  and  prosperous  population.  The  large  riverfront 
affords  unrivalled  facilities  for  commerce,  and  the  numerous 
vessels  on  the  river  show  that  it  is  improved. 

The  Badger  State  is  one  of  a  line  of  eight  steamers  of  the 
Lake  Superior  Transit  Co. ,  of  which  Stephen  D.  Caldwell, 
a  former  resident  of  Fredonia,  is  President.  These  steamers 
are  of  first  class,  three  of  them  of  iron,  and  usually  occupy 
"about  six  days  on  the  trip  each  way.  The  distance  from 
Buffalo  to  Duluth  by  the  usual  route  of  the  line  is  1,300 
miles,  but  our  steamer  took  a  more  direct  course  this  time, 
and  makes  the  trip  of  noo  miles  in  4^  days. 

Our  ship  is  a  very  pleasant  one.     The  officers    are  gentle- 


FROM  LAKH  ERIE  TO  LAKE  SUPERIOR.  203 

manly,  and  agreeable.  To  the  ordinary  landsman,  the 
art  of  navigation  is  one  of  much  interest.  The  details  of  the 
chart,  speed  of  the  boat,  dead  reckoning,  and  the  accuracy 
with  which  every  movement  is  recorded  in  the  log  book, 
were  explained  by  the  gentlemanly  captain,  and  made  the 
trip  a  source  of  information  that  we  could  not  have  obtained 
otherwise. 

The  passage  up  the  St.  Clair  river  and  through  the  canal 
excavated  through  the  middle  of  the  lake,  and  the  scenery 
of  the  banks  of  the  river  was  very  pleasant. 

In  going  by  lake  from  Buffalo  to  Duluth,  we  pass  through 
Lake  Erie  270  miles,  Lake  Huron,  270  miles,  and  Lake 
Superior  380  miles,  making  over  900  miles  in  all  of  lake  navi- 
gation, and  about  200  miles  of  river,  St.  Clair  and  St.  Marie, 
and  several  small  lakes,  making  the  trip  1 100  miles,  which 
with  usual  stoppings  and  detours  to  reach  ports  on  the  line, 
makes  about  1300  miles. 

We  reach  the  "Soo"  on  Monday  evening,  in  time  to  lock 
through  into  Lake  Superior  before  dark.  The  passage  up 
the  vSt.  Marie  river  was  most  delightful.  We  pass  several 
summer  and  fishing  resorts,  where  the  occupants  seemed  to 
be  enjoying  themselves  with  entire  abandon.  On  the 
western  side  of  the  St.  Marie  for  miles  we  passed  an  Indian 
reservation,  occupied  by  small  and  comfortable  dwell- 
ings, and  there  are  large  lumber  establishments,  where 
the  employes  appeared  to  be  Indians  who  were  loading 
lumber  on  vessels.  The  large  mill  was  supplying  the 
transportation  for  the  eastern  market. 

SAULT  ST.    MARIE,   AUG.    12. 

Near  the  locks  on  the  "Soo"  has  grown  up  a  thriving 
little  city  of  some  6,000  inhabitants,  and  improvements  are 
progressing  rapidly.  When  we  were  here  some  18  years 
ago,  there  was  but  a  small  hamlet  of  rude  houses  indicating 
anything  but  thrift.  Now  large  blocks  of  buildings  are 
erected,  the  "Iroquois"  a  large  and  imposing  appearing 
hotel,  a  National  Bank  building,  and  blocks  of  stores,  many 
of  them  of  red  sandstone  somewhat  similar  in  appearance  to 


204  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  brown  stone  fronts  of  eastern  cities.  We  understand 
this  stone  is  obtained  in  this  vicinity  in  great  abundance. 
The  streets  are  lighted  with  electric  lights,  and  electric  cars 
pass  over  them.  They  are  being  paved  with  Macadam. 
The  water  works  obtain  a  bountiful  supply  from  the  pure 
soft  water  of  the  lake,  A  single  lock  of  some  18  feet  rise 
lifts  the  vessel  to  the  level  of  the  upper  laker  and  the  time 
required  to  pass  through  is  less  than  half  an  hour.  So  great 
is  the  commerce  concentrated  here,  in  the  passage  between 
the  lakes,  that  a  breakage  of  the  locks,  some  two  weeks 
ago,  which  took  some  three  days  to  repair,  caused  an  ac- 
cumulation of  175  vessels  and  various  crafts  which  were 
detained  by  the  accident.  The  government  is  now  con- 
structing a  new  and  larger  and  deeper  lock,  which  will 
admit  the  larger  vessels  and  more  at  a  time.  The  Canadian 
government  is  also  constructing  a  lock  on  that  side  of  the 
river,  so  as  to  be  independent  of  our  government  works  for 
their  transportation. 

We  are  now  on  the  ground  visited  by  the  French  Mission- 
aries, Marquette,  L/asalle,  Duluth,  and  others  220  years  agot 
and  here  they  made  a  settlement,  the  first  made  in  the 
limits  of  the  present  state  of  Michigan,  and  called  it  St. 
Marie.  From  here  they  went  in  their  missionary  work  to 
Marquette,  LaPointe,  Duluth,  St.  Paul,  St.  L/ouis,  and  other 
points  still  designated  by  the  names  they  gave  them  more 
than  two  hundred  years  ago.  They  were  a  noble  and 
enterprising  people,  actuated  by  a  sincere  desire  to  propagate 
and  extend  their  faith  among  the  native  red  men  of  the 
forest,  and  some  of  the  same  faith  may  still  be  found  among 
the  descendants  of  these  aborigines.  The  French  then 
held  a  vast  territory,  almost  surrounding  the  colonies  of  the 
old  thirteen  states,  all  then  in  the  infancy  of  their  existence. 
Canada,  ceded  to  Great  Britain  by  the  conquest  of  arms  in 
the  old  French  war,  nearly  150  years  ago,  and  the  southern 
portion  known  as  the  Louisiana  purchase,  nearly  90  years 
ago,  deprived  the  French  of  a  vast  empire  in  extent  of 
territory,  and  left  them  without  a  foothold  on  the  continent. 


FROM  LAKE  ERIE  TO  LAKE  SUPERIOR.  205 

As  the  conquest  of  Canada  was  made  mostly  by  the  arms  of 
the  Colonists,  Ly  right  it  ought  to  belong  to  us  as  a  patrimony 
of  the  valor  of  the  soldiers  of  the  old  French  war,  when  the 
brave  Wolfe  fell  near  the  walls  of  Quebec,  and  was  con- 
soled in  his  dying  moments  with  the  word  that  Montcalm 
and  the  French  forces  were  flying  from  the  field. 

LAKE  SUPERIOR,    AUG.    13. 

We  are  now  on  the  dark  blue  waters  of  Lake  Algoma, 
and  are  moving  along  at  the  rate  of  about  10  knots  an 
hour.  The  propeller  of  the  Badger  State  moves  quietly 
with  but  little  jar  and  we  write  without  disturbance.  We 
donned  our  flannels  while  on  Lake  Huron,  and  now  we 
have  added  our  overcoats  to  protect  us  from  the  chilly  air. 
We  are  in  latitude  47  degrees  30  minutes.  The  sky  is 
overcast  with  dark  clouds,  and  the  wind  from  the  south 
\\vst  is  freshening.  The  captain  has  given  us  instruction  in 
the  chart,  and  the  curious  little  "log"  has  been  examined 
which  shows  that  we  are  running  at  the  rate  of  over  ten 
knots  an  hour  and  at  the  same  rate  will  arrive  at  Duluth  at 
about  1 1  o'clock  to-morrow.  Thus  far  we  have  been  pass- 
ing along  quietly  with  but  little  rough  weather  except  the 
day  we  passed  through  Lake  Huron,  when  the  roughness 
caused  a  scarcity  of  passengers  at  the  supper  table.  It  was 
only  a  pleasant  episode  in  the  monotony  of  lake  travel.  We 
steam  along  the  southerly  shore  of  the  lake  and  look  off  on 
the  hills  where  untold  wealth  of  ores  is  stored,  and  where 
iron  and  copper  are  mined  in  immense  quantities,  and  trans- 
ported to  the  more  eastern  states  to  be  wrought  into  all 
manner  of  useful  and  beautiful  implements  and  articles  of 
commerce.  The  copper  made  into  brass,  supplies  all  the 
Connecticut  clock  makers  with  the  material  to  keep  the  time 
of  the  world,  and  time  the  movements  of  sun  and  planets. 
What  would  the  world  do  without  these  materials?  Just 
now  we  are  abreast  of  the  noted  Hecla  mines,  where  the 
smoke  of  the  tall  chimneys  shows  that  the  rocks  are  being 
tortured  to  yield  the  precious  metals  which  are  held  with 
tenacious  grasp  in  their  composition.  Forty -seven  years 


2O6  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

ago  a  young  Fredonia  man,  Dr.  Douglass  Houghton,  lost 
his  life  in  his  search  for  the  hidden  minerals  held  in  the 
rocks  on  these  shores.  He  was  a  natural  scientist,  and  had 
penetrated  into  the  mysteries  of  geology,  then  a  comparative- 
ly new  science,  and  as  a  result  the  greater  development  of 
valuable  metals  has  been  made,  till  California  has  given 
forth  still  more  valuable  minerals  by  which  the  world  has. 
been  enriched. 

The  commerce  of  Lake  Superior  has  been  wonderfully 
increased  in  a  few  years,  and  although  railroads  are  stretch- 
ing east  and  west  on  both  sides  of  the  lake,  yet  such  is  the 
progress  of  the  commerce  that  the  lake  transportation  is 
constantly  increasing.  It  is  stated  that  the  daily  tonage 
passing  through  the  St.  Marie  Canal  is  greater  than  that 
passing  through  the  Suez  Canal  from  the  Red  Sea  to  the 
Mediterranean,-  while  that  canal  connects  continents  densely 
populated  for  three  thousand  years.  The  canal  connecting 
Lake  Superior  with  the  lower  lakes  is  of  comparatively 
recent  construction,  and  was  completed  by  the  U.  S.  govern- 
ment in  1 88 1.  The  first  canal  was  built  by  the  State  of 
Michigan, 

The  Indian  name  "Algoma"  should  have  been  preserved 
to  this  vast  body  of  water,  380  miles  long  and  averaging 
over  roo  miles  wide,  with  an  altitude  above  tide  water  of 
600  feet,  and  a  depth  of  900,  or  300  feet  below  sea  level, 
giving  magnificent  proportions,  and  the  head  waters  of  five 
great  lakes  of  more  than  a  thousand  miles  in  length  and  an 
average  of  roo  miles  in  width.  No  country  in  the  world  can 
boast  of  such  large  bodies  of  "inland  seas." 

DULUTH  AND  SUPERIOR  CITY. 

DULUTH,  Minn.,  Aug.   14,  1890. 

Dear  Censor: — Yesterday  morning  the  far  famed  city  of 
Duluth  was  sighted  from  the  Badger  State,  as  she  was 
steaming  at  the  rate  of  ro  knots  an  hour  towards  the  port  of 
destination.  The  appearance  of  the  city  has  greatly  changed 
since  we  saw  it,  eighteen  years  ago.  We  had  come  over 
the  railroad  from  St.  Paul,  mostly  through  a  wilderness. 


M  LAKE  ERIE  TO  LAKE  SUPERIOR.  ~2CfJ 

155  miles.  It  then  contained  about  4,000  inhabitants,  all 
'intent  upon  making  it  the  Chicago  of  Lake  Superior.  Three 
daily  newspapers  were  booming  in  the  city,  and  real  estate 
was  held  at  fabulous  prices.  The  Northern  Pacific  Rail- 
road was  pushed  forward  with  great  energy  and  had  been 
•constructed,  being  opened  for  traffic  as  far  west  as  Brainard, 
and  Jay  Cook  was  doing  his  best  to  push  westward  the  Star 
•of  Empire  on  this  northern  line.  The  contest  was  sharp 
between  Superior  city  on  the  easterly  side  of  the  St.  Louis 
river  in  Wisconsin,  and  Duluth  for  the  termination  of  the 
road,  but  Duluth  had  prevailed,  and  eastern  capital,  largely 
from  Boston,  was  flowing  in  to  secure  sites  for  business 
blocks,  elevators,  and  homes  for  the  anticipated  thousands 
of  people  about  to  occupy  this  embryo  city: 

While  the  boom  was  going  on,  Superior  city,  some  6  or  7 
miles  distant  across  the  bay,  was  brooding  over  the  dis- 
appointment, and  her  200  to  300  population  were  in  mourn- 
ing over  the  disaster  which  the  railroad  magnates  had  caused 
them  in  not  making  their  place  the  terminus.  Minnesota 
Point,  a  long  stretch  of  land  extending  nine  miles  out  into 
the  lake,  made  a  most  commodious  harbor  on  the  Superior 
City  side  but  it  was  a  long  distance  around  the  point,  and 
the  detour  was  not  often  made.  A  few  years  later  a  canal 
was  cut  across  the  point,  making  the  river  and  commodious 
harbor  accessible*  this  has  transferred  the  shipping  to  the 
southern  side  of  the  point.  The  canal  is  1,200  feet  in 
length,  250  feet  wide  and  20  feet  deep.  The  panic  of  1873, 
the  next  year  after  our  first  visit,  dashed  many  expectations 
and  visions  of  a  great  city,  and  overflowing  commerce  dis- 
appeared as  a  baseless  fabric.  What  was  our  surprise  on 
our  second  visit  to  find  a  city  ol  40,000  inhabitants,  with 
fine  graded  streets,  large  and  fine  churches,  large  and 
splendid  hotels,  street  cars,  and  the  harbor  filled  with  ship* 
ping,  and  three  railroads  centering  there.  Dwellings  are 
being  perched  on  the  hill  sides  on  the  steep  grades  from  the 
lake,  large  school  houses  erected  in  several  wards,  and  a 
general  air  of  prosperity  is  presented. 

A  ride   of  two   hours  about    Duluth    with  friend   StevenH 


208  EDITORIAL    MISCELLANIES. 

was  a  revelation  to  us.  A  populous  city  on  such  an  un- 
propitious  site,  seemed  impossible.  This  Is  located  near 
the  47th  parallel,  shut  out  from  the  rest  of  the  world  by 
water  communication  for  several  months  of  the  year  by  a 
blockade  of  ice,  with  no  desirable  farming  land  for  miles 
away,  yet  here  we  find  large  lumber  mills  using  the  rafts  of 
logs  floated  down  the  St.  L,ouis  and  from  the  regions  border- 
ing the  lake,  a  blast  furnace,  large  elevators,  and  a  larger 
grain  transportation  to  the  east  than  Chicago  has.  This  is 
one  of  the  wonders  of  the  west. 

There  are  some  very  fine  hotels  at  Duluth  and  among 
them  the  Spaulding  has  the  credit  of  being  first  class  in 
every  respect.  It  is  spacious,  7  stories  high,  and  has  a 
most  delightful  dining  room  on  the  6th  floor,  commanding  a 
view  of  the  harbor  and  its  extensive  shipping  and  of  the 
lake  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  The  incoming  and  out- 
going of  vessels  are  in  plain  view,  and  in  warm  weather  the 
cooling  breezes  from  the  lake  are  very  welcome.  The 
kitchen  is  on  the  floor  above.  A  capacious  and  quick 
moving  elevator  conveys  guests  from  the  different  floors,  and 
we  doubt  if  any  more  delightful  place  of  refreshment  was 
ever  invented.  The  clerk,  Mr.  J.  H.  Langton,  was  former- 
ly a  newspaper  man  in  Salamanca,  and  his  Cattaraugus  and 
Chautauqua  friends  will  find  in  him  all  the  good  qualities 
ever  found  in  a  first  class  hotel  clerk. 

•J 

By  invitation  of  C apt,  Smith,  we  took  a  small  passenger 
steamer  to  Superior  City.  This  is  a  rival  to  Duluth,  but  is 
far  behind  it  now.  Since  the  cutting  of  a  canal  across 
Minnesota  Point  it  is  much  more  accessible,  and  it  has  a 
large  tract  of  level  country  more  convenient  for  business 
places  and  dwellings.  A  ride  of  three  miles  on  the 
electric  cars,  passes  blocks  held  at  city  prices  and  awaiting 
purchasers  and  occupants.  L/arge  lumbering  establishments 
are  located  here,  and  steel  and  iron  works,  which  give  em- 
ployment to  hundreds  of  people.  It  is  dividing  the  boom 
with  Duluth,  and  the  expectations  are  very  high.  Three 
years  ago  there  were  but  200  population,  and  now  14,200 
are  reported  by  the  recent  census.  They  are  putting  in 


FROM  LAKE  ERIE  TO  LAKE  SUPERIOR.  209 

water  works  and  are  spending  $250, ooo  on  them  and  their 
distribution  in  the  city.  They  are  also  grading  and  paving 
streets,  and  we  would  judge  were  making  taxes  very  heavy. 
They  expect  to  have  eastern  capitalists  buy  the  land  and 
help  pay  the  taxes.  Duluth  is  spreading  about  four  miles 
southward,  where  there  is  room  to  build  on  more  level 
ground,  and  the  two  cities  will  eventually  come  nearly 
together.  A  new  kfnd  of  steel  boats  are  being  built  here, 
in  cigar  shape,  which  greatly  diminishes  the  price  of  con- 
struction per  tonnage,  and  is  expected  to  grow  into  an  im- 
portant industry.  We  saw  one  of  these  leviathans  in  tow 
when  we  came  up  the  lake.  It  looked  very  much  as  though 
an  immense  whale  had  been  caught. 

St.  Paul,  Aug.  15. — At  8:303.  m.  we  left  the  "Zenith 
City  of  the  unsalted  seas,"  taking  the  train  for  St.  Paul. 
The  road  has  been  straightened  since  we  passed  over  it  be- 
fore, and  we  lost  all  the  view  of  the  Dalles  of  the  St.  Louis, 
which  were  a  rare  attraction  then.  This  river  divides 
between  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota,  and  the  swift  current 
leaping  from  rock  to  rock  in  most  fantastic  forms,  makes  a 
beautiful  series  of  cascades.  The  change  of  road  has  taken 
away  all  the  romance  of  the  journey.  The  distance  is  155 
miles,  mostly  through  lightly  timbered  land,  of  which  the 
white  birch  predominates  in  the  northern  portion.  Large 
saw  mills  are  making  havoc  with  the  timber.  We  passed 
ral  pretty  lakes,  of  which  White  Bear  is  the  largest. 
This  lake  is  a  great  place  of  resort  for  St.  Paul  people,  and 
the  numerous  beautiful  lakes  scattered  along  the  route  are 
much  resorted  to  for  hunting  and  fishing  and  recreation. 
The  wonderful  growth  of  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  has  been 
a  surprise  to  the  world. 

MINNEAPOLIS. 

MINNEAPOLIS,  Minn., Oct.  10,  1885. 

Dear  Censor: — A  half  hour's  ride  from  St.  Paul  brings  us 
to  one  of  the  most  wonderful  cities  of  the  world  for  growth 
in  population  and  wealth.  Railroads  from  Dakota  and  the 
Northern  Pacific,  Lake  Superior,  and  the  vast  wheat  raising 


2IO  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

counties  of  Minnesota,  bring  in  immense  quantities  of 
wheat,  and  the  Mississippi  and  tributary  rivers  supply  vast 
amounts  of  lumber,  and  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  furnish  a 
water  power  unsurpassed  in  the  West  to  manufacture  these 
products.  We  had  high  anticipations,  but  the  half  had  not 
been  told.  We  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  Mr.  R.  C. 
Hay  wood,  who  spent  some  days  with  his  father  Mr.  Albert 
Haywood,  in  Fredonia,  last  summer,  and  who  very  kindly 
showed  us  over  the  city.  We  have  here  in  a  bird's  eye 
view,  the  results  of  Western  enterprise  and  energy.  The 
Father  of  Waters,  here  a  stream  of  some  sixty  rods  in  width, 
has  a  fall  of  about  50  feet  in  one  mile,  and  with  wing  dams, 
the  water  is  conveyed  into  canals  on  each  side,  where  the 
motive  power  is  furnished  for  lumber  and  flouring  mills, 
which  give  employment  to  a  large  population,  and  contribute 
much  to  the  supply  of  the  world  with  bread.  Our  friend 
first  took  us  to  the  largest  of  the  Pillsbury  Mills,  a  mammoth 
five  story  stone  building,  filled  with  machinery  from  base- 
ment floor  to  roof,  where  300  men  arc  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  flour.  This  mill,  the  largest  of  the  five 
owned  by  the  Pillsbury  Co.  has  a  capacity  of  6,200  barrels 
per  day,  and  the  five  mills  have  a  capacity  of  three  million 
barrels  per  year,  or  9,500  barrels  per  day.  The  mill  which 
we  visited  is  the  largest  flouring  mill  in  the  world,  grinding 
24,000  bushels  per  day.  The  roller  grinding  process  is 
chiefly  used.  The  wheat  used  by  these  mills  is  equal  per 
day  to  the  production  of  three  thousand  acres,  and  the  yearly 
consumption  of  12,000,000  bushels  is4  equal  to  the  produc- 
tion of  about  one  million  acres,  or  the  entire  agricultural 
acreage  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts. 

No  strikes  have  ever  taken  place  in  these  mills.  The 
employees  had  the  option  of  a  certain  amount  of  wages  and 
a  percentage  of  the  profits,  or  a  little  higher  wages  with  no 
percentage.  Most  of  them  accepted  the  percentage  of 
profits,  and  as  a  result  some  $28,000  was  recently  divided 
among  them.  Of  course  the  most  faithful  service  is  render- 
ed and  a  mutual  interest  between  employer  and  employee  is 
maintained  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  both. 


MINNEAPOLIS.  211 

There  are  eighteen  flouring  mills  in  the  city,  and  among 
them  the  Washburn  mills,  which  are  of  large  capacity.  It 
will  be  seen  that  the  flouring  business  is  a  very  large  one. 
The  flour  is  shipped  by  car  loads  to  the  Eastern  market,  by 
way  of  Duluth,  and  thence  down  the  lakes  by  Milwaukee, 
Chicago,  and  all  rail  transportation,  to  the  eastern  states 
and  the  continents  abroad.  We  read  in  an  ancient  book  of 
"two  women  grinding  at  the  mill."  They  had  no  roller 
mill,  bolts,  bran  dusters  or  any  of  the  modern  appliances. 
Large  nations  were  supplied  with  bread  by  this  process. 
Now  the  work  of  two  women  all  day  in  those  times  would 
be  much  better  accomplished  in  any  of  these  large  mills  in 
less  than  a  second  of  time. 

The  lumber  business  of  Minneapolis  is  of  im- 
mense importance.  The  logs  are  floated  down  the 
Mississippi  and  its  tributaries  for  hundreds  of  miles,  and 
when  they  are  hauled  up  into  one  of  these  mills  and  put  on 
the  saw  carriage,  it  seems  to  take  but  a  moment  to  square 
them,  and  for  a  gang  of  saws  to  cut  t'.vo  logs  at  a  time  into 
boards,  and  the  other  machinery  to  trim  and  split  them, 
make  the  slabs  and  trimmings  into  lath,  ready  for  market. 
We  were  informed  of  the  amount  of  these  products,  but  we 
do  not  dare  to  trust  to  our  recollection  of  figures  for  it  was 
in  many  millions  of  feet.  From  the  elevated  position  where 
we  could  see  the  whole  operation  it  would  seem  that  it  would 
take  but  a  short  time  to  use  up  a  whole  forest. 

But  about  the  city.  A  place  in  which  over  3,000  build- 
ings are  erected  in  a  year,  or  say  ten  each  working  day,  will 
of  course  look  like  business.  And  yet  they  are  all  wanted 
by  the  rapidly  growing  population.  People  from  all  parts 
of  the  world  are  found  here,  but  the  increase  is  mostly  of 
the  most  enterprising  people  of  this  and  other  States.  A 
growth  of  over  one  hundred  thousand  people  in  twenty-five 
years,  or  from  less  than  twenty  thousand  to  about  130,000 
has  no  parallel  in  the  world.  Of  course  there  is  a  rapid  rise 
in  real  estate.  What  was  farming  land  a  few  years  ago,  is 
now  covered  with  dwellings  or  business  blocks,  and  in  many 


212  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

cases  lands  have  risen  from  $50.  an  acre  to  several  hundred 
dollars  per  front  foot,  of  say  80  feet  deep.  The  new  build- 
ings are  in  good  taste,  nicely  painted,  lawns  in  good  shape, 
and  present  a  fine  appearance.  Unlike  the  oldest  portion  of 
New  York,  Boston,  Albany,  (where  the  streets  are  narrow 
and  crowded,)  the  streets  here  are  wide  and  nicely  paved 
with  cedar  blocks;  and  are  at  right  angles,  showing  that  in 
the  original  plan  it  was  intended  for  a  city.  A  striking 
contrast  is  also  presented  with  the  cities  of  the  South.  Take 
the  city  of  New  Orleans,  for  example,  where  we  spent  some 
three  weeks  last  Spring  at  the  Great  Exposition.  That 
city  has  been  more  than  one  hundred  years  in  growing  to 
its  present  size  and  everything  is  at  a  stand  still.  No  build- 
ings being  erected,  and  no  growth  of  population  for  the  past 
ten  years,  though  surrounded  with  fertile  cotton  and  cane 
lands,  it  presents  at  a  glance  the  difference  between  the 
enterprise  and  energy  of  the  North  with  the  aristocratic 
element  of  the  South. 

The  water  power  of  the  Mississippi  at  Minneapolis  is 
taxed  to  its  utmost  capacity  in  low  water  for  hydraulic 
power,  and  steam  is  supplemented  in  some  cases.  But  a 
system  of  reservoirs  on  the  upper  Mississippi  is  projected 
where  lakes  are  found  or  natural  ones  raised  by  dams  to 
hold  the  water  in  reserve  for  a  dry  period.  Five  of  these 
reservoirs  are  provided  for  by  legislative  enactment,  and 
three  of  these  are  already  constructed.  It  is  estimated  that 
in  low  water  the  capacity  will  be  doubled  by  these  reservoirs, 
and  the  navigation  of  the  river  be  greatly  improved  thereby. 

There  has  been  considerable  rivalry  between  St  Paul  and 
Minneapolis,  and  the  census  is  watched  closely  to  see  which 
is  the  larger  place.  But  the  recent  census  decides  in  favor 
of  Minneapolis,  which  had  129,200,  to  111,397  in  St.  Paul. 
This  preponderance  will  be  kept  and  increased. 

A  drive  over  the  city  showed  a  large  accumulation  of 
wealth  among  the  capitalists.  Ex-Gov.  Washburn's  palatial 
residence  with  ten  acres  of  ground  and  bani  with  improve- 
ments cost  about  half  a  million  of  dollars.  For  two  or  three 


MINNEAPOLIS.  213 

miles  out  the  sightly  locations  are  being  occupied  by  large 
and  beautiful  residences,  and  the  grounds  are  laid  out  with 
much  taste. 

The  West  House,  in  the  central  part  of  the  city,  is  one 
of  the  most  magnificent  hotels  in  the  world.  It  has  a 
capacity  of  1,200  guests,  and  has  all  the  appliances  for 
comfort  that  can  be  found  anywhere.  It  cost  $1,600,000 — 
more  than  half  a  million  more  than  the  Ryan  house  in  St. 
Paul.  Of  course  this  city  would  not  be  behind  its  rival  in 
hotels  or  anything  else. 

It  may  appear  a  wonder  how  there  should  be  such  a  rapid 
growth  in  places  so  far  north  that  the  mercury  often  freezes 
during  the  winter,  and  where  for  many  days  at  a  time  the 
thermometer  does  not  get  up  to  the  thawing  point,  while  at 
the  South  where  vegetation  has  almost  perpetual  growth, 
the  population  is  nearly  at  a  stand-still. 


214  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


ST.   PAUL. 


ST.  PAUL,  Minn.,  Oct.  9,  1885. 

Dear  Censor. —  A  trip  of  about  50  miles  from  Faribault 
on  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  R.  R.  brought  us  to 
this  noted  city,  the  Capital  of  the  State  of  Minnesota.  Like 
many  other  western  cities  it  has  had  a  rapid  growth,  nearly 
100,000  having  been  added  to  its  population  in  the  last  25 
years.  It  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  and  the 
head  of  continuous  steam  boat  navigation  from  the  gulf  of 
Mexico,  at  a  distance  of  about  i ,  600  miles  from  the  gulf  by 
its  tortuous  course,  but  only  about  i,  100  miles  by  direct  line. 

The  falls  of  St.  Anthony  at  the  foot  of  which  is  situated 
the  city  of  St.  Paul,  was  visited  by  French  explorers  in 
1680,  and  their  names,  Du  Luth,  Hennepin  and  La  Salle 
are  given  to  cities,  streets,  rivers,  and  places  of  prominence 
in  Northern  Minnesota.  They  ascended  the  St.  Croix  river 
from  Lake  Superior  (Indian  name  Algoma)  and  crossed  to 
the  Mississippi  at  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony.  The  French 
discoverers  extended  their  expedition  down  the  Wisconsin 
and  Mississippi,  to  the  Gulf.  De  Iberville,  the  first  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Louisiana  territory,  then  had  his  seat  of  govern- 
ment at  Mobile. 

Fort  Snelling  was  the  military  station,  established  soon 
after  the  war  of  1812,  and  continues  to  be  the  principal 
station  for  troops,  from  which  they  are  ordered  to  the  far 
west  to  subdue  the  Indians  when  they  become  turbulent. 
It  is  located  on  a  high  bluff  near  the  intersection  of  the 
Minnesota  (formerly  St.  Peters)  river  with  the  Mississippi. 
Its  high  walls  of  heavy  masonry  made  it  invulnerable  to 
attack  at  the  time  when  it  was  constructed,  but  would  not 
be  so  formidable  with  the  present  means  of  attack.  This 
military  station  has  doubtless  had  an  important  influence  in 
the  early  development  of  the  neighboring  cities  of  St.  Paul 


ST.  PAUL.  215 

and  Minneapolis.  St.  Paul  has  a  beautiful  location,  and 
the  high  bluffs  adjacent  give  commanding  positions  for  State 
Institutions  and  palatial  residences.  The  State  House  is  a 
plain  building,  but  neat  and  commodious.  The  former 
State  house  was  destroyed  by  fire  some  five  years  ago, 
while  the  Legislature  was  in  session,  and  the  members  and 
occupants  had  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat  to  escape  the  flames. 
The  present  State  House  was  built  on  the  same  site  and  has 
a  very  substantial  appearance.  We  met  Gov.  Hubbard, 
who  is  a  popular  man,  and  has  the  confidence  of  the  people. 
The  Legislature  has  biennial  sessions,  and  this  year  it  is 
very  quiet  about  the  State  House.  The  sessions  are  limited 
to  sixty  days  on  alternate  years.  The  Senate  is  elected  for 
four  years  and  the  House  for  two  years.  Biennial  sessions 
were  adopted  by  a  large  majority  of  the  people  some  four  or 
five  years  ago  and  the  plan  is  very  popular  with  them.  The 
politicians  were  not  much  in  favor  of  it,  but  were  impelled 
by  the  popular  demand  to  submit  the  question  to  the 
sovereigns,  and  now  it  will  be  impossible  to  get  the  annual 
sessions  resumed.  The  Legislature  makes  appropriations 
for  two  years,  and  the  laws  passed  are  of  a  general  character, 
nearly  all  special  legislation  being  done  away. 

One  is  surprised  to  see  such  large  wholesale  houses,  and 
blocks  six,  seven  and  eight  stories  high,  constructed  of  stone 
and  brick  in  a  most  substantial  manner.  The  Hotel  Ryan 
built  by  an  Irishman  who  commenced  in  poverty  in  the 
mining  business  of  the  west,  who  amassed  a  fortune  and 
spent  a  million  of  dollars  on  the  hotel  which  bears  his  name. 
Real  estate  of  course  bears  fabulous  prices  and  new  build- 
ings are  going  up  in  every  direction. 


2l6  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


FLORIDA. 


PENSACOLA,  Fla.,  April  5,  1883. 

Dear  Censor: — We  are  now  on  the  borders  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  in  an  old  Spanish  city,  which  has  an  important 
history.  After  leaving  Montgomery  we  continued  for  a 
time  in  the  cotton  region,  and  then  struck  that  of  the 
Southern  pine.  For  miles  we  pass  through  the  region 
where  the  trees  are  barked  and  scarred  to  cause  the 
exhudation  of  the  pitch,  and  then  we  pass  a  manufactory 
where  it  is  distilled  for  the  turpentine,  and  the  resinous 
residue  barreled  for  transportation.  Again  we  pass  large 
lumber  mills,  where  the  timber  is  worked  up  into  boards  for 
siding  and  flooring  for  buildings.  One  can  get  but  little 
idea  of  the  extent  of  this  industry  without  statistics.  We 
have  no  such  pine  in  Western  New  York.  It  is  full  of 
pitch,  much  harder  in  texture  than  the  white  pine  of  the 
North,  and  hence  more  durable.  There  is  a  large  extent  of 
territory  where  it  is  indigenous,  including  East  Virginia 
the  Carolians  and  parts  of  Georgia,  Alabama  and  Florida. 
But  the  extent  of  its  use  will  eventually  exterminate  it,  not- 
withstanding the  wide  spread  region  of  its  growth. 

The  lumber  business  produces  almost  a  cosmopolitan 
trade.  There  were  shipped  from  Petisacola  to  the  ports  of 
Great  Britain  alone,  in  a  year  to  Oct.  31,  1882,  in  263 
vessels,  more  than  ten  million  cubic  feet  of  hewed  and  sawed 
timber  and  fourteen  millions  of  superficial  feet  of  sawed 
lumber. 

In  addition  to  this  there  were  26  vessels  from  Holland,  46 
from  France,  19  from  Germany,  18  from  Italy,  5  from  Spain, 
and  also  transportations  to  Portugal,  Belgium,  Australia 
and  Africa,  in  all  more  than  two  and  a  half  million  dollars 
in  valuation.  It  may  appear  surprising  that  an  old  Spanish 
place  like  Pensacola  should  become  so  energized  into  new 


FLORIDA.  217 

life  in  these  modern  times.  But  there  is  but  little  of  the  old 
Spanish  element  left  in  it.  It  is  to  all  intents  a  thoroughly 
American  city,  though  its  trade  is  cosmopolitan.  With  a 
splendid  harbor,  easy  of  approach,  and  connected  with  the 
interior  by  railroads,  it  has  had  a  wonderful  commercial 
activity,  especially  when  it  is  taken  into  account  that  it  has 
no  river  facilities  of  communication. 

Florida,  as  is  well  known,  is  an  old  Spanish  possession. 
The' town  of  Pensacola  was  settled  by  Spaniards  as  early  as 
1696,  nearly  200  years  ago,  at  a  time  when  France,  Spain 
and  England  were  competing  for  colonial  possessions  on 
this  continent.  The  French  soon  after  captured  it,  and  in 
a  short  time  it  was  recaptured  by  the  Spaniards.  In  i  764 
West  Florida  was  ceded  to  Great  Britain,  but  16  years  after, 
(1780)  it  was  captured  by  the  Spaniards,  in  whose 
possession  it  remained  till  purchased  by  the  United  States 
in  1819.  While  the  English  were  in  possession  they  named 
all  the  streets  in  honor  of  English  statesmen,  but  the 
Spaniards  restored  the  names  formerly  given  which  are  still 
retained.  These  are  now  Ferdinand  II.,  Plaza,  Zargossa, 
etc.  There  are  but  few  old  Spanish  buildings  '  here  now, 
and  they  are  readily  recognized  by  the  wide  portico  under  a 
projecting  roof,  and  the  general  antiquity  of  the  appearance. 
The  city  has  been  scourged  with  several  large  fires,  which 
have  swept  away  many  of  the  venerable  relics  of  its  earlier 
civilization.  We  saw  some  of  the  iron  cannon  left  by  the 
Spaniards,  now  used  as  street  corners,  and  four  are  used  as 
anchors  to  the  flag  staff  on  the  center  of  the  Plaza. 

It  is  surprising  what  a  large  amount  of  business  is  done  in 
Pensacola  in  view  of  the  population.  We  were  told  that 
more  than  200  vessels  were  seen  at  one  time  last  year  in  the 
bay,  nearly  every  nationality  being  represented. 

The  climate  is  delightful,  and  though  not  below  the  frost 
line,  most  of  the  shrubs  and  plants  which  require  protection 
at  the  North,  here  flourish  in  the  open  air. 

ST.  AUGUSTINE. 

ST.  AUGUSTINE,  Apr.  16,  1883. 
Dear  Censor. — We*  are   now  in  the  oldest  settled   place  in 


2l8  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  United  States.  It  is  a  quaint  old  town,  and  would 
suggest  to  one  that  he  is  on  foreign  soil.  The  town  is 
situated  on  the '  Matanzas  river,  which  separates  it  from 
Anastasia  Island,  beyond  which  is  the  ocean.  It  ordinarily 
contains  about  3,000  inhabitants,  but  in  winter,  with  influx 
of  tourists  and  health  seekers  has  a  much  larger  population. 
It  is  accessible  from  St.  Johns  River  by  railroad  from  Tocoi 
22  miles,  where  boats  connect. 

Ponce  de  Leon  is  supposed  to  have  landed  here  in  1512 
when  in  search  of  the  fountain  of  youth.  The  place  was 
settled  in  1565,  which  was  55  years  before  the  Pilgrims 
landed  at  Plymouth,  and  32  years  before  Virginia  was 
settled  at  Jamestown.  Spain  was  then  the  greatest  power 
on  earth,  but  the  conflicts  of  the  ages  have  greatly  changed 
the  comparative  greatness  of  the  powers  of  the  old  world  as 
well  as  the  new.  The  French  Huguenots  had  three  years 
previously  settled  at  Port  Royal,  but  were  subsequently 
massacred  by  a  force  from  St.  Augustine.  The  whole 
history  of  the  place  for  more  than  a  century,  was  one  of 
conflict  and  persecution,  and  the  Spanish  success  was  due 
more  to  perfidy  than  to  bravery.  The  Huguenots  wrere 
slaiightered  "not  as  Frenchmen,  but  as  Lutherans." 

In  1586  Sir  Francis  Drake  captured  and  pillaged  the 
town,  burning  a  large  part  of  it,  taking  2,000  Pounds  from 
the  treasure  chest  of  the  fort.  Gen.  Oglethorpe  in  1741  and 
in  1743  attempted  to  take  the  fort,  but  did  not  succeed. 

The  first  place  that  attracts  attention  on  arrival  at  the 
city,  is  the  old  Cathedral,  which  is  the  quaintest  looking 
structure  in  the  city.  It  was  finished  in  1793  at  a  cost  of 
over  $16,000.  It  has  a  quaint  Moorish  belfry  with  four 
bells,  and  underneath  a  clock.  In  entering  this  venerable 
structure,  one  seems  to  be  set  back  more  than  a  century. 
'One  of  the  bells  has  a  date  of  1682.  The  building  is  of 
concrete,  or  coquina,  composed  mostly  of  shells.  Several 
pilasters  ornament  the  sides,  also  columns  on  each  side  of 
the  door.  Rich  paintings  are  on  the  walls,  the  most  noted 
of  which  is  a  large  one  with  the  following  inscription : 


FLORIDA.  219 

First  mass  at  St.  Augustine,  Florida,  Sept.  3, 
1565,  at  the  landing  of  the  Spanards, 

Under  Pedro  Menendez. 

With  religion  came  to  our  shores  civilization, 
arts,  science  and  industry. 

It  represents  the  landing  of  the  Spaniards  and  their 
celebration  of  mass.  Crucifixes,  the  Virgin  and  several 
saints  are  represented  in  the  pictures. 

The  governor's  palace  is  now  used  as  a  Post  Office,  and 
is  built  of  concrete.  On  a  piazza,  in  front  of  the  Cathedral  is 
the  old  slave  market,  in  form  like  the  hall  of  philosophy  at 
Chautauqua,  but  is  not  so  large.  In  passing  up  the  narrow 
streets  one  is  interested  in  observing  the  general  style  of 
buildings,  with  projecting  roofs,  and  the  streets  so  narrow 
that  two  persons  can  span  them. 

In  passing  down  St.  George  street  we  soon  come  to  the 
city  gate  with  towers  on  each  side,  and  the  gate  keeper's 
cell  within  the  towers.  The  city  walls  extend  on  each  side 
but  a  short  distance,  though  once  perhaps  they  surrounded 
the  place. 

Towards  the  river  from  the  gate  we  come  to  the  most 
noted  place — it  is  the  old  Spanish  fort.  It  is  regarded  as  a 
fine  specimen  of  military  architecture.  The  walls  are  21 
feet  high,  bastions  at  each  corner.  It  was  begun  in  1696 
and  completed  in  1756.  It  occupies  about  four  acres  of 
ground,  and  like  the  walls  of  the  city  and  the  ancient  houses 
is  built  of  coquina.  The  Appalachian  Indians  were  em- 
ployed sixty  years  in  its  construction.  It  is  capable  of 
mounting  one  hundred  guns,  and  a  thousand  men  would  be 
required  to  man  it.  No  guns  are  now  mounted. 

On  entering  the  fort  we  come  upon  the  parade  ground, 
100  feet  square,  surrounding  which  are  27  casemates  35  feet 
long  and  18  wide;  opposite  the  sally  port  is  the  chapel  with 
a  niche  for  holy  water  and  an  altar.  Large  and  gloomy 
dungeons  are  found  in  the  fort,  and  formerly  it  is  said  iron 
cages  and  human  bones  were  found.  During  the  Seminole 
war  several  Indians  were  confined  here  and  one  chief  made 
his  escape.  The  tribe  was  finally  persuaded  to  emigrate 


22O  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

beyond  the  Mississippi.  The  moat  is  about  12  feet  deep 
and  protected  by  a  finely  constructed  seawall,  which  extends 
through  the  front  of  the  town,  about  one  mile  in  length. 

We  can  only  give  an  outline  of  the  famous  old  structure. 
The  coquina  of  which  the  walls  of  the  fort  were  built,  is 
obtained  from  Anastasia  Island,  nearly  opposite  the  fort, 
perhaps  a  mile  distant.  It  is  composed  of  minute  shells,  so 
soft  that  the  excavation  can  be  made  with  a  spade.  It  is 
made  into  blocks  and  hardened  by  exposure.  The  walls 
are  well  preserved,  and  appear  to  be  as  durable  and  as 
e  ffective  for  defence  as  granite  blocks.  The  old  houses  are 
built  of  the  same  material,  and  have  stood  the  ravages  of 
time  250  and  300  years.  By  one  of  the  oldest  houses  stands 
a  date  palm. 

The  barracks  for  the  fort  are  about  a  mile  distant,  the 
main  building  of  which  was  formerly  a  convent.  The 
location  is  more  healthy  than  the  fort.  Near  by  is  a 
cemetery,  containing  the  remains  of  the  soldiers  who  were 
killed  in  the  Seminole  war. 

But  what  a  scope  for  the  imagination  is  presented  in 
visiting  this  old  place  !  Here  once  trod  Ponce  de  Leon  in 
his  search  for  the  spring  of  perpetual  youth — here  Sir 
Francis  Drake  endeavored  to  root  out  the  Spanish  power  in 
this  region — the  valiant  Huguenots  attempted  here  to  plant 
the  Lutheran  faith  and  to  establish  a  colony  where  the  op- 
pressed of  their  people  should  find  refuge  from  the  persecu- 
tions of  the  papal  powers  of  France.  '  The  proud  Castilian 
to  whom  the  Vatican  had  given  the  continent,  jointly  with 
conquest  sought  to  propagate  the  faith  of  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church.  Who  could  then  have  anticipated  the  changes 
which  have  taken  place,  and  which  have  made  Spain  one  of 
the  weakest  powers  of  Europe  ?  They  doubtless  looked 
forward  to  the  time  when  Spain  should  control  the  new 
world  which  had  been  discovered  less  than  one  hundred 
years  before.  But  they  knew  just  as  much  of  the  future  of 
nations  as  we  do  now.  Our  dreams  of  empire  may  be 
as  futile  as  theirs.  They  had  their  social  enjoyments,  their 


FLORIDA.  221 

gay  circles,  with  all  the  vicissitudes  of  life,  its  joys  and  dis- 
appointments, which  seemed  so  important  to  them  then. 
But  the  present  is  going  through  the  same  transitions,  and 
three  centuries  hence  the  busy  thronging  multitude  will  care 
as  little  for  us  as  we  do  for  them.  So  the  world  moves,  and 
generations  go  down  to  the  dust  and  are  forgotten. 

UP  AND  DOWN  THE  ST.  JOHN'S  RIVER. 
[W.  D.  McKinstry  wrote  for  the  Dunkirk  Journal.] 

PALATKA,  Fla.,  April  Qth,  1883. 

Dear  Journal. — There  is  no  use  of  stopping  in  Jackson- 
ville any  length  of  time.  It  is  a  Yankee  city  of  fine  resi- 
dences and  fresh  paint.  It  is  pretty,  to  be  sure,  with  its 
wide  orange  shaded  streets,  its  parks  of  tropical  plants,  and 
looks  inviting  to  eyes  unaccustomed  to  rank  foliage  and 
sunn}-  skies  at  this  time  of  the  year,  but  after  all  it  is  not 
the  South.  There  is  too  much  Yankee  push  and  thrift,  and 
besides  the  small  pox  is  raging  just  now  and  there  is  a 
profuse  decoration  of  yellow  flags.  Let  us  go  up  the  river, 
the  lovely  St.  John's,  which  winds  wherever  it  wills  between 
palmetto  fringed  banks  and  swamps  and  pine  forests  away 
down  or  up  the  peninsula  until  it  nearly  empties  into  the 
sea  again  at  the  wrong  end,  like  an  angle  worm  wTith  a 
mouth  at  both  extremities.  The  steamer  De  Barrie  is  just 
starting  out.  All  aboard,  and  we  glide  out  on  the  smooth 
surface  of  the  St.  John's.  There  is  a  cosmopolitan  crowd 
on  board,  from  north  and  west'  and  east  and  the  middle 
states,  and  wre  meet  the  Yankee  everj'where  and  rarely  a 
native.  They  have  three  crops  in  Florida,  they  say, 
oranges,  vegetables  and  Yankees.  The  last  is  the  most 
profitable. 

We  soon  pass  Mrs.  Stowe's  plantation  where  the  author 
of  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  is  resting  from  her  work  which  had 
such  an  effect  on  the  nation,  and  whose  pen  has  done  much 
toward  creating  this  Florida  craze  in  the  northern  tourist. 
Every  few  miles  a  big  hotel  looms  up  on  the  river  bank, 
starting  out  from  the  wilderness  of  palmettos  and  pines, 
and  is  lost  again  as  we  push  on  up  the  stream.  The  St. 


112  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

John's  disappoints  us  at  first.  We  had  imagined  a  narrow 
crooked  river,,  where  the  boat  hardly  had  room  to  push  up 
through  the  tangled  swamps;  where  the  banks  were  lined 
with  alligators  and  the  thick  foliage  overhung  the  narrow 
channel.  But  the  lower  St.  John's  is  very  wide  and  passes 
cultivated  plantations.  It  is  a  pleasant  trip  but  different 
from  the  pictures.  It  is  a  series  of  lakes,  some  of  which 
stretch  out  until  you  hardly  see  the  farther  shore.  On  board 
the  talk  is  of  orange  culture  and  the  fortunes  to  be  made  in 
it.  The  real  estate  agent  is  there.  He  is  everywhere.  He 
thrusts  pamphlets  and  maps  into  your  face  in  Jacksonville. 
He  follows  you  up  the  river.  He  interviews  you  at  all  the 
hotels  and  he  demonstrates  how  in  a  few  years  you  may 
become  a  millionaire.  He  is  the  one  to  give  you  a  romantic 
picture  of  south  Florida,  with  sunny  skies,  streams  full  of 
fish,  trees  laden  with  fruit  the  year  round,  delicious  vege- 
tables that  grow  themselves,  of  flowers  and  lovely  lakes, 
until  he  makes  you  despise  your  cold  northern  climate  and 
wonder  why  all  the  people  do  not  come  to  Florida  to  live. 
He  says  nothing  of  weary  waiting  of  years  for  an  orange 
grove  to  commence  bearing;  nothing  of  mosquitoes  and 
gnats  and  snakes;  nothing  of  sweltering  heats  and  malarial 
fevers.  And  he  is  very  successful.  There  is  a  large  im- 
migration into  Florida,  and  of  course  every  one  that  invests 
encourages  the  belief  in  its  value  to  keep  his  property  from 
depreciating.  The  orange  fever  is  much  like  the  oil  fever 
of  a  few  years  ago.  You  hear  it  everywhere  and  it  is  the 
same  speculative  spirit  except  the  nomenclature  is  changed. 
Instead  of  leases,  royalties,  sands  and  belts,  you  hear  of 
high  hammock,  low  hammock  and  shell  hammock  lands; 
of  possible  production  and  how  much  such  a  one  will  make. 
I  judge  there  will  be  a  reaction  after  a  time  and  bearing 
orange  groves  can  be  bought  cheaper  than  at  present.  As 
near  as  I  could  find  out,  at  the  prices  bearing  groves  are 
now  held,  it  would  be  hard  to  get  the  interest  of  the  money 
invested  back  again.  And  to  take  wild  land,  one  has  to 
wait  ten  or  fifteen  years  for  any  return.  Land  can  be  had 
from  $1.25  per  acre  up  to  fabulous  prices,  but  it  is  nothing 


FLORIDA.  223 

but  sand.  Even-  man  has  the  best  land  in  the  State.  It 
never  has  a  frost,  it  is  perfectly  healthful,  and  it  produces 
immensely.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  sould  as  soon  try  to  raise 
a  crop  on  the  beach  of  lake  Erie.  But  they  have  great  faith 
in  fertilizers.  I  suppose  you  could  put  soil  on  a  bare  reck 
and  make  it  produce  in  time,  and  that  is  about  what  they 
have  to  do  here.  I  don't  think  a  poor  man  could  do  much 
at  orange  culture,  he  has  to  wait  so  long  and  has  not 
much  to  live  on  while  he  is  waiting.  If  he  has  a  good  trade 
he  might  live  off  that.  Carpenters  get  $3.50  a  day  here 
and  are  in  great  demand  for  building  cities  for  watering 
places.  A  company  buys  a  piece  of  swamp,  lays  it  off  in 
lots,  puts  up  a  big  hotel  and  a  few  houses,  makes  a  beautiful 
map  of  it  with  drives  and  lakes  and  groves,  and  sells  it  off 
to  deluded  ones  who  buy  by  the  map  and  are  apt  to  be 
disappointed  when  they  find  their  purchase. 

We  stop  at  Palatka  over  night  so  as  to  see  the  upper  St. 
John's  by  day  light.  Past  lake  George,  which  spreads  out 
like  a  sea,  the  river  narrows  down  again.  Ah,  this  is  what 
we  have  read  about.  This  is  what  we  came  to  see.  The 
steamer  sends  its  waves  away  into  the  forests  on  either  hand. 
The  tropical  luxuriance  of  foliage  springs  from  the  swamp 
lands  on  either  bank.  The  palmetto  and  pine  vie  with  each 
other  in  graceful  outline.  Water  oaks  and  magnolia,  willows 
and  tangled  vines  line  the  channel.  The  Spanish  bayonet 
reaches  out  its  sharp  blades,  the  Florida  moss  swings  its 
banners  over  head.  Water  turkeys  and  ducks  fly  along  the 
reedy  marshes,  and  white  herons  and  blue  herons  rise  from 
the  low  lands  as  we  go  up  the  St.  John's.  Birds  of  bright 
plumage  start  up  here  and  there,  and  now  and  then  an  eagle 
keeps  watch  from  the  top  of  some  dead  pine  tree.  Great 
turtles  lie  sunning  themselves  on  the  logs  and  roll  lazily  off 
as  the  boat  goes  by,  and  it  is  as  we  imagined  it  would  be 
except  lor  alligators.  We  miss  those  alligators.  They 
belong  to  all  the  pictures  of  the  St.  John's.  They  are  not 
handsome,  and  we  have  seen  tanks  full  of  them  back  at 
Jacksonville,  from  eight  inches  to  eight  and  ten  feet  long, 
but  we  want  to  see  them  in  their  native  places.  We  scan 


224  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  shore  closely,  and  do  see  one  or  two  on  the  whole  trip, 
which  shows  that  they  are  not  a  myth  of  the  river.  The 
fact  is  that  tourists  have  driven  them  off  by  constant  shooting 
from  the  boats.  This  practice  is  not  now  allowed.  Up  the 
Ocklawaha,  which  empties  into  the  St.  John's  nearPalatka, 
the  alligator  may  yet  be  seen  in  his  native  beauty. 

The  scenery  of  the  upper  St.  John's  reminds  one  very 
much  of  the  outlet  of  Chautauqua  lake  in  its  crookedness 
and  wildness,  but  added  are  the  semi-tropical  verdure  and 
birds.  At  Sanford,  200  miles  up  the  river,  we  stop,  as  only 
smaller  boats  go  farther  up,  and  the  next  morning  start  back 
again,  arriving  at  Jacksonville  the  next  morning  after  that. 
The  steamers  are  neat  little  side-wheel  boats  with  good 
cabin  accommodations,  and  the  rivalry  of  lines  has  reduced 
the  price  so  that  the  trip  of  nearly  400  miles  only  costs  $7.50 
including  berth  and  meals.  It  is  about  the  only  thing  that 
is  cheap  in  Florida.  Hotel  rates  are  high  and  accommoda- 
tions poor.  South  Florida  raises  samples  of  almost  every- 
thing, but  ships  it  all  to  northern  markets.  If  you  want  to 
eat  of  Florida  products,  the  best  place  to  go  for  them  is  to 
New  York  city,  where  you  can  get  them  better  and  cheaper. 
They  grow  oranges  here  but  you  have  to  pay  5  cents  for 
them  when  you  get  them  in  New  Yo.ik  for  20  cents  per  doz. 
Bananas  cost  more  and  we  rarely  find  strawberries  on  the 
hotel  tables.  Good  milk  is  not  to  be  had  and  butter  is  made 
by  New  York  city  oleomargerine  factories.  It  is  a  little 
different  from  what  one  expects  in  the  Land  of  flowers.  Old 
Ponce  de  L/eon  missed  it  when  he  thought  to  find  the 
fountain  of  perpetual  youth  in  Florida.  Here  are  lakes  but 
no  fountains.  There  are  only  mosquitoes,  alligators,  malaria 
and  death  in  their  brackish  waters.  Ponce  didn't  get  away 
from  here  I  believe  but  died  in  his  search  for  eternal  life  on 
earth. 

Florida  is  a  nice  place  to  come  for  the  cold  months  of 
winter  but  not  a  place  to  live  in;  but  no  one  expects  to  do 
that.  They  think  to  get  an  orange  grove  started,  sell  it  at 
a  fabulous  price  to  some  other  fellow  and  go  back  north  to 


FLORIDA.  225 

live,  only  coming  here  as  winter  shuts  down  on  the  higher 
latitudes. 

Down  the  St.  John's.  The  river  is  like  a  sheet  of  glass 
and  we  seem  sailing  in  the  air.  The  palmettoes  and 
magnolias  on  the  river's  brink  are  reflected  in  the  water, 
making  a  double  picture  of  tropical  beauty.  We  can  hardly 
discover  where  the  shore  and  river  join,  so  perfect  is  the 
reflection.  It  is  getting  toward  evening  and  the  cool  breezes 
from  the  ocean  come  across  the  sandy  waste  of  palmetto  and 
pine  and  fan  us  as  we  sail  down  the  river.  The  boat  twists 
and  turns  in  the  tortuous  channel  and  now  leaves  the  thick 
forest  and  winds  out  into  the  low  prairie  lands  where  the 
river  doubles  and  twists  through  the  tall  marsh  grasses. 
The  shadows  are  long.  The  sun  goes  down  leaving  a  brief 
twilight  and  the  shadows  thicken  in  the  dark  recesses.  A 
most  lovely,  weird  scene  it  is  as  over  the  fenlands  a  flock  of 
wild  ducks  go  skurrying  away,  and  only  a  solitary  heron 
perhaps,  standing  out  against  the  flat  landscape,  make  the 
favorite  plaque  scene  with  a  stork,  that  you  have  seen  so 
many  million  times,  and  always  made  you  lonesome  when 
you  saw  it. 

The  night  comes  on  and  the  stars  come  out  and  the  moon- 
light changes  the  picture.  We  glide  over  a  glass  floor 
jewled  with  stars.  The  tourists  on  deck  are  silently  drink- 
ing in  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  The  bright  stars  above,  the 
starry  river  below,  the  fringed  and  bannered  shores,  no 
sound  except  the  puffing  of  the  steamer  going  easily  down 
the  stream  or  the  plaintive  cry  of  some  wild  bird  as  it  starts 
from  the  marshes  and  goes  flying  into  the  dark  recesses  cf 
the  forest.  It  is  weirdly,  almost  painfully  beautiful,  like  a 
trip  in  fairy  gondola  on  the  streams  of  dreamland.  A  time 
of  revery  and  content  and  pleasant  recollections  and  building 
of  castles  in  the  air.  Tum-to-tum-tum  !  Blazes  !  there  is  a 
party  of  boarding  school  girls  on  board  and  one  of  them  has 
gone  to  the  piano  and  started  '  'Silvery  Shores' '  and  misses 
every  sixth  note.  Let  us  turn  into  our  berth  and  draw  the 
curtains  tight.  We  will  be  in  Jacksonville  in  the  morning 
and  hear  the  locomotive  whistles  screech.  The  young  man 


226  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

on  the  port  side  need  not  be  afraid  the  young  lady  he  is 
holding  so  tightly  will  fall  overboard  as  a  dainty  lunch  for 
alligators.  They  never  do.  Good-night. 

TALLAHASSEE. 

TALLAHASSEE,  Fla.,  Apr.  6. 

We  have  been  four  days  in  the  State,  and  have  seen  much 
to  interest  us.  We  left  Pensacola  yesterday  morning,  on 
the  Pensacola  &  Atlantic  Railroad.  It  connects  with  the 
Louisville  and  Nashville  road.  It  has  just  been  completed, 
and  like  all  new  roads,  passes  through  a  sparsely  settled 
region,  mostly  pine  lands,  and  not  promising  of  bountiful 
harvests  when  they  shall  come  under  cultivation.  We 
arrived  at  Chattahoochie  River  at  about  two  o'clock.  Here 
we  were  ferried  across,  and  were  delayed  some  three  hours 
in  all.  The  ferry  boat  passes  up  the  river  some  three  miles, 
where  the  bridge  is  in  process  of  construction.  While  here 
a  double  deck  steamer  from  Columbus,  Ga.  comes  in  and 
discharges  cargo  and  passengers.  She  makes  regular  semi- 
weekly  trips  to  Apalachicola  Bay  on  the  Gulf.  The  river  is 
now  high  and  the  current  strong.  A  small  steam  engine 
transferred  the  freight  in  small  cars  up  an  inclined  plane 
from  the  boat  to  the  R.  R.  platform. 

We  arrived  at  Tallahassee  at  about  8  o'clock  p.  m.  and 
were  taken  to  a  fine  hotel,  where  we  spent  the  following 
day. 

This  being  the  capital  of  the  State,  we  thought  it  would 
not  be  showing  proper  respect  to  the  Flowery  land,  not  to 
spend  some  time  here.  This  place  has  a  population  of  some 
4,000,  has  many  fine  residences,  and  a  general  aspect  of 
comfort  and  refinement.  Like  all  southern  places  the  dwell- 
ings have  wide  and  spacious  verandas  and  fine  yards,  in 
which  the  figs,  grapes,  pomegranates,  pears,  plums,  or 
oranges  and  semitropical  fruits  are  seen,  and  such  a  propor- 
tion of  beautiful  flowers  that  one  is  reluctant  to  leave  them. 
We  greatly  desired  to  send  some  north,  but  the  home  we 
left,  amid  a  snow  storm  and  frozen  ground,  is  not  yet  ready 
for  them.  We  visited  the  State  house,  which  like  that  at 
Richmond  and  Nashville  is  constructed  in  Grecian  style 


FLORIDA.  227 

and  presents  a  fine  appearance  ^to  the  eye,  though  the  inside 
finish  is  not  costly  or  elaborate. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  the  State  was  a  territory*  less 
than  forty  years  ago,  and  with  its  large  area  has  only  a 
population  to  entitle  it  to  two  members  in  Congress  it  can- 
not be  expected  that  such  pretentious  State  buildings  would 
be  found  as  in  some  of  the  older  and  more  populous  states, 
tho  ugh  it  is  a  better  building  than  that  at  Richmond,  and 
about  as  spacious.  This  place  was  once  the  residence  of  a 
prince — a  son  of  one  of  Napoleon's  bravest  marshals.  We 
visited  the  cemetery  where  his  ashes  repose,  and  found  the 
grave  surrounded  by  a  low  brick  wall.  The  monument  is  a 
plain  marble  obelisk  on  which  is  the  following  inscription : 

Departed  this  life 

April  1 8,  1847. 
CHARLES  Louis  NAPOLEON 

ACHILLE  MURAT 

son  of 
the  King  of  Naples 

and 
Caroline  Murat 

Aged  47. 
This  monument  is  dedicated 

By  his  wife  Catherine 
\         In  perpetual  memory 
Of  her  love. 

At  the  side  of  this  monument  a  similar  one  is  erected  to 
his  widow,  inscribed  as  follows: 

In  Memory  of 
PRINCESS  C.  A.  MURAT 

Widow  of 
COL.  CHAS.  Louis  NAPOLE"ON 

Achilles  Murat. 
Died  Aug.  6,   1867 

Aged  64. 
None  knew  her  but  to  love  her. 

In  the  afternoon  we  were  kindly  invited  to  ride,  by  Mr. 
Dyke,  the  editor  of  "The  Floridan,"  the  principal  paper 
published  here.  He  has  been  connected  with  the  paper 
some  42  years.  We  found  him  a  gentleman  of  rare  in- 
telligence, and  great  versatility  of  attainment.  We  rode 
some  ten  or  twelve  miles,  and  were  greatly  delighted  with 
the  general  appearance  of  the  country'.  He  has  a  large 
plantation,  on  which  a  German  family  is  employed,  and  the 
account  he  gave  of  its  productiveness  was  marvellous.  The 


228  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

early  vegetables  are  raised  for  the  New  York  markets,  and 
being  some  two  months  earlier  than  our  home  productions, 
of  course  command  the  highest  market  price.  The  trans- 
portation costs  90  cents  per  barrel  of  three  bushels.  The 
country  is  rolling,  clear  streams  of  water  wandering  through, 
the  valleys,  the  sail  is  mellow  and  easily  worked,  and  with 
proper  fertilization,  such  as  a  Northern  man  would  sustain, 
would  give  much  larger  returns.  One  advantage  of  this- 
locality  is  its  elevation,  being  some  300  feet  higher  than  the 
gulf  which  is  23  miles  distant.  The  South  wind,  which 
comes  up  at  night,  is  cool  and  refreshing,  and  though  the 
thermometer  stood  at  85  degrees  in  the  middle  of  the  day, 
there  was  little  inconvenience  from  the  heat.  Sweet  potatoes 
are  grown  here  at  the  rate  of  400  bushels  to  the  acre,  and 
Irish  potatoes  yield  some  250  bushels.  The  upland  rice  is 
flow  introduced  from  Japan,  and  bids  fair  to  become  an 
important  crop.  Mr.  D.  also  showed  us  a  pear  orchard  of 
about  1,000  trees,  from  cions  from  California,  and  which 
promise  to  be  exempt  from  the  blight  that  is  so  destructive 
to  Northern  pear 'culture.  The  stock  looks  much  better 
here  than  among  the  pine  lands  of  Middle  and  Southern 
Alabama,  and  we  saw  some  Alderney  cows  which  looked 
very  fine.  They  need  the  northern  grasses  to  give  increased 
results  to  this  branch  of  agriculture. 

In  front  of  the  State  House  stands  a  monument  to  the 
confederate  dead,  a  worthy  tribute  to  the  brave  men  who 
lost  their  lives  in  the  war.  The  inscription  was  modest, 
simply  mentioning  the  battle  fields  in  which  the  Florida 
troops  were  engaged.  In  the  rear  of  the  speaker's  stand, 
enclosed  in  a  glass  case,  are  the  flags  of  the  regiments  which 
were  engaged  in  the  war,  but  more  conspicuous  than  all  and 
above  all,  was  the  glorious  flag  of  the  Union,  which  now 
waves  over  all  the  States  reunited.  The  brave  men  who 
died  in  the  confederate  service  were  just  as  dear  to  their 
families  as  those  who  died  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union 
from  the  North;  and  though  their  cause  was  lost,  the  be- 
reaved ones  would  be  less  than  human,  not  to  cherish  the 
memories  of  the  dear  departed  ones. 


FROM    ALABAMA.  229 


FROM  ALABAMA. 


MOBILE,  Ala.,  April  20,  i.s<s;v 

Dear  Censor. — Those  who  have  ever  lived  in  New 
Kngland  are  inclined  to  magnify  the  effects  of  the  early 
civilization  planted  on  their  shores  at  Plymouth,  and  in 
some  respects  their  claims  are  entitled  to  respect.  But  in 
age  the  Spanish  adventurers  under  Ponce  de  Leon  and 
< -tliers,  who  possessed  Florida  and  the  East,  and  the  French, 
who  sought  to  found  an  empire  which  for  extent  of  territory 
far  exceeded  any  now  existing  in  Europe,  except  Rr.- 
have  more  venerable  claims. 

,  Mobile  was  once  the  noted  seat  of  Empire.  Here  Bien- 
ville  first  established  the  capital  of  Louisiana,  within  the 
territory  of  which  was  embraced  both  the  eastern  and  west- 
ern borders  of  the  Mississippi,  and  held  a  chain  of  forts 
extending  northward  to  Fort  Du  Qnesne  (now  Pittsburg) 
then  to  Le  Boeuf  and  Presequile  (now  Erie)  with  trading- 
stations  at  Detroit,  Mackinaw  and  along  the  Southern  shores 
of  Lake  Superior  ( Algoma)  to  the  upper  Mississippi.  What 
magnificent  dreams  of  empire  !  What  a  grand  spirit  of 
adventure  inspired  those  early  pioneers  of  civilization.  But 
the  old  French  war,  which  took  place  only  about  140  years 
ago,  terminated  these  dreams  of  greatness.  Thus  Mobile, 
once  the  center  of  government  of  the  Louisiana  territory, 
.iding  from  the  Gulf  to  the  Great  Lakes  on  the  North, 
and  embracing  the  vast  North  West  territory,  passed  into 
the  possession  of  the  English,  and  by  the  settlement  of  peace 
as  the  result  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  became  a  part  of  the 
United  States. 

one  passes  through  the  streets  of  Mobile,  and  see> 
remnants  of  French  and  Spanish  houses  interspersed  in  some 
portions  of  the  city,  he  feels   that  he  is  treading   on  historic 
ground.     Over    its   battlements    have   floated    the  fl  •::;•*  of 


230  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

France,  Spain,  England  and  the  United  States,  and  for  a, 
short  time  that  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  All  of  these 
still  float  in  their  respective  countries  and  are  recognized  in 
the  family  of  Nations,  except  the  last  named  which  is  now  * 
folded  forever.  "Man  proposes,  but  God  disposes."  Not 
a  man  living  within  the  last  century  had  a  hand  in  shaping 
these  vast  schemes  of  colonization  and  empire  which  have 
had  such  great  results  in  the  destiny  of  the  country. 

France  held  the  Louisiana  territory  and  controlled  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  till  the  United  States  obtained 
peaceable  possession  by  purchase  under  the  administration  of 
Thomas  Jefferson.  Eight  millions  of  dollars  was  paid  for 
this  territory,  which  opened  to  commerce  the  vast  region 
tributary  to  the  "father  of  waters"  without  passing  through 
a  foreign  territory.  Many  opposed  the  purchase  at  the 
time,  when  but  little  progress  had  been  made  in  the  pay- 
ment of  the  debt  contracted  by  the  Revolutionary  war,  as^ 
others  did  the  purchase  of  Alaska  by  Seward;  but  in  both 
cases  the  result  has  fully  justified  the  purchase. 

Mobile  contains  some  32,000  population.  It  is  at  the 
head  of  Mobile  Bay,  into  which  a  short  distance  above, 
empties  the  Alabama  andTombigbee  Rivers,  both  of  which, 
before  the  construction  of  railroads,  brought  large  quantities 
of  cotton  for  shipment  coastwise  and  to  foreign  countries. 
This  port  was  formerly  only  third  in  the  country  in  the 
exportation  of  this  staple.  The  situation  of  the  city  and 
environment  is  charming  for  winter  resort.  So  near  to  the 
gulf,  and  within  seven  degrees  of  the  tropical  line,  the 
agreeable  temperature  is  scarcely  exceeded  in  any  other 
place  of  resort.  The  jutting  points  in  the  Bay,  where  large 
boarding  houses  are  erected,  and  also  numerous  places  inland 
whose  elevations  give  them  the  gulf  breeze,  and  salubrity 
of  climate,  attract  many  health  seekers  and  tourists.  We 
met  several  Chautauqua  people  in  the  city,  and  among  them 
our  friend  John  A.  Hall,  of  the  Jamestown  Journal,  and 
wife.  We  are  pleased  to  state  that  his  health  has  been  im- 
proved by  his  stay  here. 

We  desired  to  make  a   trip  down    the  Bay.     The   oppor- 


FROM    ALABAMA.  23! 

tunity  was  presented  by  an  excursion  in  behalf  of  the  Pres. 
;on  S.  School.  Our  friends  provided  an  abundance  of 
the  picnic  supplies;  We  accompanied  about  300  excursion- 
ists down  the  Bay  to  Fort  Morgan,  40  miles  distant,  which 
was  the  scene  of  the  great  Naval  engagement  in  which  Com. 
Farragut  won  immortal  honors.  As  we  pass  down,  the  Bay 
widens  to  some  12  to  15  miles.  We  pass  two  or  three  places 
of  summer  and  winter  resort,  where  pleasure  and  health 
seekers  avail  themselves  of  the  soft  breezes  of  the  gulf.  Fort 
Morgan  is  reached  at  about  one  o'clock.  The  party  land 
and  wander  up  the  grassy  mound  and  around  the  fort.  In 
size  and  general  form  it  is  not  very  different  from  the  old 
Spanish  fort  at  St.  Augustine,  though  modern  science  has 
shown  that  dependence  must  be  mainly  placed  on  earth 
works  rather  than  stone  and  brick  walls.  The  fort  is  un- 
occupied now,  only  a  single  sergeant  being  left  there  to  man 
.the  huge  guns  and  keep  off  the  foreign  foe.  But  he  is  as 
good  as  a  thousand  men,  in  time  of  peace.  Were  invasion 
threatened,  a  thousand  men  -would  shortly  be  gathered 
there,  and  the  huge  'peacemakers'  would  frown  over  the 
fortification.  There  is  some  large  ordnance  here,  1 6  inch 
and  less,  and  though  many  of  the  guns  are  not  mounted, 
the  fort  could  be  placed  in  a  condition  of  defence  in  a  short 
time.  We  were  accompanied  in  our  stroll  around  the  fort 
by  Ex-Mayor  Duffie,  of  Mobile,  who  was  the  projector  of 
the  excursion,  and  who  gave  us  much  information  with 
regard  to  the  locality  of  the  great  Naval  battle,  and  where 
lay  the  Tecumseh,  one  of  our  iron-clads,  sunk  by  a  torpedo, 
and  still  the  tomb  of  the  victims  who  sank  in  her,  where 
they  will  remain  till  "the  sea  shall  give  up  its  dead." 

As  we  stand  on  the  high  embankment  of  the  fort,  in 
imagination  we  are  carried  back  to  the  scenes  of  carnage 
enacted  on  Aug.  5,  1864,  more  than  half  a  generation  ago. 
In  the  distance  stands  Fort  Gaines,  on  Dauphin  Island,  and 
the  two  forts  were  supposed  to  command  the  channel  of 
entrance  into  Mobile  Bay.  But  on  that  eventful  day,  one  of 
the  most  hotly  contested  naval  battles  of  the  war  was  fought. 
Conr  Farragut,  with  his  fleet,  pushes  his  way  past  the  forts 


I 
232  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

and  hotly  engages  the  enemy's  fleet,  regardless  of  the  storm 
of  shot  and  shell  from  the  forts.  The  brave  old  admiral  is 
lashed  to  the  mast,  while  the  signal  officers  give  his  com- 
mands to  the  fleet.  On  they  push  their  way,  in  more  fear 
of  the  sunken  torpedoes  than  the  missiles  of  the  enemy. 
The  Confederate  ram  Tennessee,  and  the  fleet  of  gunboats 
are  in  line,  confident  of  success  in  opposing  the  entrance  of 
the  federal  fleet  into  the  Bay.  The  flag  ship  Hartford  is  in 
front.  The  Tennessee,  confident  of  her  invincible  strength, 
pushes  on  to  the  battle,  while  the  shot  from  the  vessels 
bound  against  her  iron  clad  sides  as  harmless  as  peas.  A 
lucky  shot  finally  closes  a  port,  and  soon  after  she  is  compel- 
led to  surrender.  With  her  loss  the  main  dependence  of  the 
Confederates  is  gone  and  the  victory  won.  Now  all  is  quiet 
and  peaceful  here,  and  our  picnic  party  present  a  marked 
contrast  with  the  scenes  of  19  years  ago. 

The  soil  in  the  vicinity  of  Mobile  is  a  sandy  loam,  so 
porous  that  it  is  soon  dry  even  after  the  heaviest  rains. 
Vegetation  starts  quickly,  and  even  now  in  the  middle  of 
April,  immense  quantities  of  cabbages  and  early  vegetables 
are  being  shipped  northward.  The  air  is  redolent  with 
blossoms  from  trees  and  shrubs  and  the  Japan  plum  is 
ripened  and  is  sold  on  the  streets. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  there  was  a  partial  suspension  of 
commerce  by  way  of  the  gulf.  The  numerous  torpedoes 
sunk  in  the  bay  rendered  navigation  unsafe.  But  now,  after 
a  lapse  of  some  19  years,  it  is  rapidly  gaining.  The  channel 
has  23  feet  of  water,  which  has  been  increasing  in  depth  by 
the  action  of  currents,  and  now  the  harbor  presents  a  very 
respectable  show  of  shipping.  A  large  amount  of  the  ship- 
ping is  in  lumber,  some  20  mills  being  tributary  to  it,  and 
some  32,000,000  feet  having  been  shipped  last  year.  The 
Louisville  &  Nashville,  and  the  Mobile  &  Ohio  railroads 
give  constant  communication  with  the  North,  and  the  former 
connecting  with  the  vast  coal  and  iron  regions  of  Alabama, 
cannot  but  greatly  stimulate  manufacturing  industry  here. 

On  the  whole,  we    have  found    no  pleasanter  place    in  all 


FROM    ALABAMA.  233 

4» 

our  trip,  both  as  to  climate  and  agreeable  people   than  here 
at  Mobile. 

MONTGOMERY. 

MONTGOMERY,  Ala.,  May  12,  1878. 

This  place  was  reached  on  our  trip  to  Florida.  We  spent 
some  four  days  pleasantly  here.  The  next  morning  after 
our  arrival,  we  had  a  call  from  Hon.  W.  Brewer,  formerly 
of  the  Haynesville  Examiner,  and  now  State  Auditor.  He 
was  the  guest  of  Senator  Morris,  when  the  Alabama  editors 
visited  our  village.  We  are  under  great  obligations  for 
his  kind  attentions  during  our  stay.  He  gave  us  much 
valuable  information  relative  to  the  city  and  State.  He  also 
recalled  pleasant  memories  of  their  visit  to  Fredonia,  and 
had  many  inquiries  of  those  whom  he  had  met  on  that  visit, 
We  also  had  a  pleasant  interview  with  Mr.  Screws,  of  the 
Montgomery  Advertiser, 

Montgomery  is  a  nicely  laid  out  city  of  some  12,000  in- 
habitants and  is  located  in  a  rich  agricultural  region, 
particularly  of  cotton,  of  which  it  is  the  great  commercial 
center  of  the  State.  The  State  house  is  an  imposing  edifice 
in  a  sightly  location,  from  the  steps  of  which,  fronting  the 
city,  Jefferson  Davis  made  his  address  when  inaugurated 
President  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  There  are  many 
memorials  of  the  fearful  struggle  here.  Then  there  were 
fond  dreams  of  empire,  embracing  the  entire  Southern  States 
and  accessions  beyond  the  Mississippi,  which  should  far 
overshadow  the  North;  and  the  Government  here,  then 
inaugurated,  it  was  fondly  hoped  would  go  down  in  history 
as  the  great  nation  of  the  American  continent.  From  this 
place  the  Southern  heart  was  fired  to  deeds  of  valor  and 
devotion  to  their  country,  which,  in  a  better  cause,  would 
have  made  the  names  of  those  connected  with  this  great 
event  the  subject  of  imperishable  honors.  Here  Yancey 
gave  vent  to  his  burning  eloquence,  and  amid  general  re- 
joicing the  Confederacy  was  inaugurated.  Little  did  they 
anticipate  the  extent  of  the  fearful  struggle,  the  sore  trials, 
the  sad  bereavements  and  terrible  disappointments  in  store 


234  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

>.-- 
for  them.     In  the  length  of  time  and    the  great  loss   of  life, 

the  North  experienced  the  same  bitter  disappointments. 

We  visited  the  cemetery,  where  repose  the  mortal  remains 
of  some  of  the  most  conspicuous  in  this  fratricidal  struggle. 
There  is  the  grave  of  Yancey,  a  pure  and  honest  man  in  his 
personal  character,  whose  name  is  held  in  great  veneration 
by  the  people  of  the  South.  A  portion  of  the  cemetery  is 
devoted  to  the  soldiers  of  the  Confederacy.  A  monument 
erected  by  the  ladies  of  the  city  marks  this  consecrated 
ground  where  "The  Confederate  dead"  rest  from  the  con- 
flicts of  war.  The  annual  decoration  of  their  graves  shows 
that  their  memory  is  cherished  by  those  in  whose  behalf 
they  laid  down  their  lives.  A  portion  of  the  cemetery 
separated  by  an  evergreen  hedge  is  occupied  by  Israelites, 
of  which  nation  are  many  of  the  residents  of  this  city. 
Manj*  of  the  monuments  are  very  fine,  and  the  inscriptions 
in  Hebrew.  So  far  away  from  the  ancient  home  of  their 
people,  }*et  preserved  by  an  overruling  Providence  as  a 
distinct  race, scattered  among  all  nations,  they  are  a  remark- 
able fulfilment  of  prophecy  uttered  thousands  of  years  ago. 
Their  enterprise,  industry  and  prosperity,  in  this  far  off  land, 
is  a  wonderful  exhibition  of  the  preservative  power  of  their 
faith.  No  other  people  could  have  been  preserved  so 
distinctly  with  all  the  persecutions  of  two  thousand  years 
heaped  upon  them  by  the  nations  of  Europe,  from  whom, 
from  time  to  time  they  have  been  driven  by  the  edicts  and 
anathemas  of  those  nations.  They  are  a  great  acquisition 
to  this  country,  where  the  laws  make  no  distinction  which 
can  militate  against  them. 

In  this  Congressional  district  the  colored  people  are  largely 
in  the  majority,  and  their  recent  member  of  Congress  was 
Jerry  Haralson,  a  colored  man,  and  formerly  a  slave.  The 
colored  people  are  now  divided,  as  I  learn  they  are  all  over 
the  South,  and  the  dominant  political  party  is  controlled  by 
the  whites.  I  have  no  doubt  this  is  better  for  the  blacks  as 
well  as  whites,  though  the  ballot  is  a  great  source  of  protec- 
tion to  them.  There  is  no  special  reason  for  the  color  line 
in  politics  any  more  than  civil  rights. 


THE  SUGAR    PLANTATION.  235 


THK  SUGAR  PLANTATION. 


On  the  Bayou  Teche,  April,  12,  1888. 

The  universal  use  of  sugar  in  civilized  countries  makes  its 
production  one  of  vast  importance,  so  important  tKat  France 
and  Germany  have  given  encouragement  to  its  production 
from  the  beet  by  subsidiary  awards.  But  the  greatest 
amount  of  sugar  used  in  the  world  is  from  the  cane,  which 
can  be  grown  profitably  only  in  tropical  or  semi-tropical 
climates.  Hence  but  a  small  portion  of  this  country  is 
adapted  to  its  cultivation.  The  plant  was  originally  obtained 
from  Egypt  by  the  Moors,  in  the  i4th  century.  It  was 
introduced  in  the  I5th  century  by  the  Spaniards  and  Portu- 
guese into  the  West  Indies  and  South  America.  It  is  propa- 
gated mostly  from  cuttings,  as  the  seasons  are  not  long 
enough  in  Louisiana  for  the  seed  to  ripen.  A  furrow  is 
plowed  for  the  rows,  about  six  feet  apart,  the  cane  stalks 
laid  in  pieces  along  in  the  furrows  and  covered;  the  joints 
produce  roots  and  shoots,  irom  which  the  cane  grows.  The 
cane  grows  to  a  height  of  8  or  10  feet,  and  when  in  right 
condition  for  the  most  sacharine  production,  is  cut  near  the 
roots,  as  corn  is  cut  in  this  region,  the  leaves  trimmed  off, 
and  it  is  carried  to  the  mill,  where  heavy  iron  rollers  crush 
out  the  juice,  from  which  sugar  and  molasses  are  made. 
The  cane  springs  up  again  from  the  stumps,  and  thus  three 
years'  crops  are  obtained  from  one  year's  planting.  In 
Cuba,  one  planting,  owing  to  longer  seasons,  lasts  six  to 
eight  years,  and  the  season  for  manufacture  lasts  longer, 
hence,  in  connection  with  slave  labor,  its  production  is 
cheaper  there.  The  climate  of  the  West  Indies  and  the 
central  portions  of  America  make  it  the  great  sugar  pro- 
ducing country-  of  the  world.  Next  to  flour,  in  this  country 
sugar  is  most  universally  used. 

A  sugar  plantation  which  we  visited   on  the  Bayou  Teche, 


236  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

will  give  a  good  idea  of  one  of  these  large  plantations,  found 
in  Southern  Louisiana.  Mr.  Belt,  the  gentlemanly  clerk 
of  the  steamer  Teche,  gave  us  an  introduction  to  Mr.  C. 
P.  Binnings,  the  agent  of  one  of  these  large  plantations, 
who  received  us  with  most  cordial  hospitality  so  character- 
istic of  Southern  gentlemen,  and  gave  us  a  very  interesting 
description  of  the  culture  and  processes.  As  all  our 
subscribers,  and  nearly  all  the  rest  of  the  sixty  millions  of 
people  in  the  United  States  use  sugar,  a  description  of  this 
plantation  may  be  of  interest. 

The  DeL,ignes  plantation  consists  of  some  5,000  acres  of 
rich  alluvial  soil,  and  well  adapted  to  cane  culture.  Of  this, 
2,000  acres  are  under  the  plow,  and  devoted  chiefly  to  sugar 
production.  He  had  860  acres  in  cane,  700  in  corn  and 
peas,  (the  latter  is  cultivated  mainly  for  fertilization,  and 
plowed  in  while  green, )  and  450  acres  of  rice.  We  were 
there  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  the  cane  was  then 
about  a  foot  high,  and  the  rice  was  being  sown  and  spring- 
ing out  of  the  ground.  The  average  yield  of  rice  is  about 
3,000  pounds  to  the  acre.  The  average  yield  of  the  cane  is 
about  15  tons  to  the  acre,  as  stripped  of  its  leaves  and  tassels, 
and  ready  for  the  mill.  He  employs  90  to  100  people  to 
perform  the  labor  on  this  plantation,  and  about  an  equal 
number  of  mules.  He  has  four  miles  of  narrow  gauge  rail- 
road to  carry  the  cane  to  the  mill,  and  they  have  a  lively 
time  during  the  manufacturing  season.  The  extent  of  the 
mill  may  be  better  understood  by  the  fact  that  $40,000  was 
expended  last  year  in  improvements,  jand  he  expects  to 
expend  $70,000  this  year  for  the  same  purpose.  The  im- 
proved machinery  and  process  has  greatly  increased  the 
products  of  the  cane  per  ton.  By  the  old  process  from  140 
to  1 60  pounds  of  sugar  was  extracted  from  a  ton  of  cane, 
and  on  this  plantation  some  2,500,000  pounds  of  sugar  was 
produced  last  year.  This  year  he  expects  to  manufacture 
4,000,000  pounds  by  what  is  called  the  "diffusion"  pro- 
cess, which  adds  20  to  25  per  cent,  to  the  production,  and 
will  repay  in  one  year  the  $70,000  expended  in  improve- 
ments. About  200  pounds  of  sugar  to  the  ton  of  cane  is 


THE   SUGAR   PLANTATION.  237 

obtained  by  this  process.  The  purchase  of  cane  of  the  small 
producers,  has  been  partially  adopted  of  late  years.  The 
darky  by  purchasing  or  renting  of  a  few  acres  of  land  and 
raising  the  cane  can  always  find  a  ready  m  a  rket  for  the 
product.  Last  year  $4  per  ton  was  paid  for  the  cane  deliver- 
ed at  the  mill,  and  it  is  liable  to  command  as  high  as  $6  per 
ton  this  year.  At  an  average  of  15  tons  to  the  acre  and  $4 
per  ton  will  give  the  producer  about  $60  per  acre,  and  with 
ten  acres,  which  one  man  can  cultivate  and  care  for,  will 
give  him  $600  per  year,  and  still  more  as  the  price  increases. 
The  mill  owned  by  Mr.  John  Baldwin  of  Berea,  Ohio,  which 
adjoins  this  plantation,  is  conducted  entirely  in  this  way,  as 
the  cane  is  all  purchased  from  the  producer,  just  as  grain  is 
by  the  miller  at  the  North.  This  divides  the  risk  of  a  poor 
crop  and  relieves  the  manufacturer  of  care  and  responsibility 
in  the  production  of  the  crop.  There  were  other  very  fine 
sugar  plantations  along  the  picturesque  borders  of  the  Ba}-ou 
Teche,  but  this  establishment  was  one  of  the  most  complete 
that  we  saw.  The  homes  of  these  planters  have  a  peculiar 
charm.  Situated  back  a  few  rods  from  the  Bayou,  surround- 
ed by  lofty  live  oaks,  from  which  the  moss  hangs  like 
draper^'  to  near  the  ground  as  the  gentle  breeze  sways  it  to 
and  fro — the  beautiful  plats  of  flowers,  with  every  variety  of 
tint,  and  many  kinds  of  roses,  the  like  of  which  cannot  be 
seen  in  our  inhospitable  climate,  the  rich  red  pomegranate 
then  in  bloom,  and  flowers  innumerable,  such  as  are  grown 
here  only  in  hot-houses,  or  in  pots  taken  in  the  house  during 
the  winter,  and  all  with  a  thrift  and  exu  berance  of  growth 
showing  adaptation  of  soil  and  climate  to  these  beautiful 
flowers,  all  give  a  charm  to  their  places  which  fix  them 
indellibly  on  the  memory  of  the  visitor. 

Mr.  B.  called  our  attention  to  a  field  of  oats  which  we 
passed  on  the  way  to  the  train.  It  was  the  nicest  field  we 
ever  saw,  standing  some  four  feet  high,  and  nearly  ready 
for  the  harvest.  The  yield  would  not  be  less  than 
fifty  bushels  to  the  acre.  This  was  about  the  aoth  of  April. 
It  shows  not  only  the  great  fertility  of  the  soil,  but  its 
adaptation  to  other  products  beside  the  cane  culture. 


238  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

The  sugar  producing  business  is  bound  to  grow.  There 
is  a  large  amount  of  land  adapted  to  its  culture,  but  it  re- 
quires a  large  amount  of  capital  to  successfully  carry  it  on. 
We  have  been  told  that  some  nine  tenths  of  the  sugar  manu- 
factories are  owned  by  northern  capitalists.  This  iseasily  ac- 
counted for.  The  nice  machinery  necessary  is  quite  expensive. 
There  were  but  comparatively  few  skilled  mechanics  or 
large  machine  shops  at  the  South  adapted  for  the  production 
of  such  work,  till  the  iron  and  coal  regions  of  Alabama, 
Georgia  and  Tennessee  were  developed.  The  increase  of 
products  to  the  amount  of  25  or  30  per  cent  by  improved 
machinery  and  scientific  manufacture  adds  fortunes  to  the 
manufacturer,  which  only  skill  and  enterprise  can  obtain. 
In  addition  to  this,  the  sugar  imported  is  in  a  crude  state, 
and  requires  a  refining  process.  These  large  establishments 
now  have  machinery  that  gives  to  the  market  all  grades  of 
sugar,  but  largely  of  the  finest  and  best  quality,  the 
products  of  which  fill  the  coffers  of  the  manufacturer.  The 
severing  of  the  connection  between  the  cultivation  of  the 
cane  from  the  manufacture  is  a  process  which  will. go  on  till 
the  manufacturer  will  no  more  think  of  raising  the  material 
for  sugar  than  the  miller  would  of  raising  the  corn  or  wheat 
for  his  mill.  One  draw-back  at  present  is  the  bulky 
character  of  the  cane,  which  makes  transportation  to  the 
mill  expensive,  but  this  will  be  overcome  by  railway  ap- 
pliances, running  to  different  plantations,  and  thus  bring 
the  products  nearer  to  the  mills. 


DEATH   OF   GEN.  GRANT.  239 


DEATH  OF  GEN.  GRANT. 


Died,  at  MacGregor,  N.    Y.,  July  23,    1885,  Gen.    U.  S.  Grant   in 
his  64th  year.     Born  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  O.,  April  25,  1822. 
[From  the  Fredonia  Censor  July  2gth,  1885.] 

In  no  period  of  the  history  of  our  country  has  the  death 
of  a  citizen  cast  such  a  universal  gloom  over  the  country 
and  world  as  that  of  Gen.  Grant,  though  other  great  men 
and  patriots  have  died,  and  their  memory  has  been  enshrined 
in  the  National  heart  and  their  lives  and  works  have  made 
the  world  better  for  their  having  lived  in  it.  Three  great 
men  stand  out  preeminently  in  the  history  of  our  nation. 
Washington'  the  father  of  the  country,  Lincoln  the  martyr 
President  and  author  of  the  Emancipation  Proclamation, 
and  Grant,  the  victorious  General  whose  military  skill  and 
genius  saved  our  country  in  its  integrity  when  assailed  by  a 
formidable  foe  within  and  enemies  abroad. 

It  was  one  hundred  years  from  the  declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence, when  Gen.  Grant  retired  from  the  Presidential  office, 
where  for  eight  years  he  had  occupied  the  highest  position 
in  the  gift  of  a  grateful  people,  and  became  a  private  citizen. 
He  came  prominently  before  the  people  in  the  early  part  of 
the  war.  His  energy,  persistency  and  bravery  were  con- 
spicuous in  his  first  battle.  All  through  the  long  struggle, 
when  the  fate  of  the  nation  seemed  at  times  to  hang  in  the 
balance,  his  calm,  cool,  persevering  determination  made 
victory  possible.  Plain  and  unostentatious  in  manner, 
determined  in  purpose,  reticent  in  speech,  he  won  the 
confidence  of  the  nation,  and  became  the  foremost  military 
chieftain  in  the  world. 

In  his  death, the  nation  mourns;  north  and  south,  east  and 
west,  among  his  devoted  followers  in  the  army  and  those 
who  surrendered  to  his  victorious  arms,  and  who  received 
the  evidence  of  his  clemency — all  unite  in  feeling  a  sense  of 
bereavement  in  his  death.  And  not  only  in  this  country, 


240  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

but  throughout  the  civilized  world  his  name  is  known  and 
the  work  he  accomplished  has  won  for  him  imperishable 
honors.  In  his  trip  around  the  world,  no  American  before 
ever  received  such  honors.  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Seward,  the 
Secretary  of  State  while  he  was  fighting  the  battle  of  his 
country  and  who  after  the  war  went  around  the  world,  was 
received  with  the  highest  honors  that  foreign  nations  had 
ever  given  to  a  foreign  visitor;  but  those  bestowed  on  Grant 
were  still  greater. 

But  it  is  not  man  worship  that  calls  forth  such  demonstra- 
tions of  regard.  There  are  noble  traits  of  character  which 
made  him  a  distinguished  man.  It  was  not  bravery  alone 
which  made  him  conspicuous.  He  was  a  true  American  in 
every  impulse.  He  never  sought  popularity — it  has  all 
com'e  without  his  seeking.  He  served  his  country  because 
he  loved  it,  as  well  as  from  a  sense  of  duty.  He  had  a 
remarkable  insight  into  the  characteristics  of  men  in  military 
life,  and  seldom  made  mistakes  in  his  choice  of  those  who 
were  co-laborers  with  him  in  the  movement  of  the  armies. 

In  his  civil  life  he  was  the  same  quiet  man,  devoted  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  country.  No  one  seemed  to  doubt  his 
integrity  of  purpose,  but  gladly  yielded  to  him  all  the  honors 
due  to  his  high  position. 

It  might  be  expected  that  bitterness  of  feeling  would 
prevail  throughout  the  States  which  were  conquered  by 
Gen.  Grant's  army.  On  the  contrary,  no  more  sincere 
admirers  of  the  man  who  tempered  victory  with  so  much 
kindness  to  the  fallen  foe,  can  be  found  than  among  some  of 
those  who  laid  down  their  arms  at  his  feet  and  acknowledged 
him  as  the  victor.  They  had  been  conquered  by  his  kind- 
ness to  them  in  their  sore  distress. 

SERVICES  AT  WESTMINSTER  ABBEY. 

[W.  D.  McK.  was  present  at  the  services  at  Westminster  Abbey, 
and  gives  the  following  description.] 

LONDON,  Eng.,  Aug.  4,  1885. 

At  three  o'clock  this  afternoon,  corresponding  with  the 
hour  of  the  funeral  services  in  the  linked  States,  West- 
minster Abbey,  where  is  written  in  sculptured  monument 


DEATH   OF   GEN.    GRANT.  241 

and  dust  of  the  dead,  England's  history  for  nearly  a  thou- 
sand years,  was  crowded  with  Americans  and  sympathizing 
English  cousins  to  do  honor  to  the  memory  of  America's 
greatest  General. 

This  was  no  ordinary  tribute.  It  was  more  than  respect 
for  the  memory  of  a  man:  it  was  a  tribute  more  to  a  living 
ideal  than  to  a  dead  hero.  It  was  a  sanction  by  the  English 
authority  of  the  principles  of  individual  freedom  and  equality 
which  had  edged  the  sword  of  the  soldier  and  controlled  in 
the  executive  chair  and  which  was  by  the  will  of  the  people 
-embodied  in  this  man  now  dead. 

It  was  this  as  much  as  the  feeling  of  personal  regard 
which  Gen,  Grant  won  on  his  visit  to  England  scarce  eight 
years  ago,  that  prompted  the  generous  offer  by  the  Dean  of 
Westminster  of  the  use  of  the  Abbey  for  funeral  services.  It 
was  to  show  an  admiration  for  this  American  idea  by  which 
the  Galena  tanner  had  become  the  head  of  a  nation  that 
brought  so  many  English  of  all  classes  to  do  honor  to  his 
memory.  Even  royalty  felt  it,  and  the  Queen,  the  Prince  of 
Wales  and  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh  sent  representatives, 
while  the  Duke  of  Cambridge  and  Princess  Louise  were 
personally  present.  Then  there  was  Gladstone,  grander  in 
defeat  than  his  opponents  in  power,  the  steady  friend  of 
America  in  its  distress,  and  Lords  and  Sirs  of  the  English 
Peerage  mingled  with  Americans  in  the  service.  In  the 
centuries  since  the  foundations  of  Westminster  were  laid  no 
such  service  had  been  held  except  for  English  heroes.  The 
vaulted  nave  and  arches  of  the  cloisters  had  echoed  first  to* 
the  chanting  of  the  priests  as  some  brother  monk  was  laid  at 
rest  in  an  unmarked  grave  in  the  cloister  walk;  the  doors 
had  opened  to  admit  regal  processions  as  Kings  and  Queens 
had  come  in  royal  state  to  receive  their  crowds,  and  had 
been  opened  again  as  their  dead  and  sometimes  headless 
bodies  had  been  borne  in  and  to  the  music  of  solemn  dirges 
laid  away  in  sculptured  marble  tombs;  Crusaders  from  Holy 
Land  fighting  for  the  Cross  lie  recumbent  in  sculptured 
effigy  in  their  marble  tombs,  above  which  float  their  tattered 
banners.  This  tomb  says  a  baron  and  his  lady  sleep  beneath. 


242  EDITORIAL,   MISCELLANIES. 

That  inscription  speaks  of  a  prince  who  lost  his  head,  and 
this  of  Henry  of  the  many  wives.  "What  did  you  do  ?"  is 
the  involuntary  question  as  you  stand  before  an  emblazoned 
tomb.  The  past  sends  back  no  answer. 

"Their  arms  are  rust, 
Their  bones  are  dust, 
Their  souls  are  with  their 
God;  I  trust." 

No  sculptured  monument  reminds  us  of  Grant;  but  what 
did  he  do  ?  echoes  through  these  old  walls  to-day,  and  from 
across  the  sea  comes  the  answer  from  a  race,  he  set  us  free  ; 
comes  an  answer  from  a  mighty  nation,  he  saved  a  govern- 
ment of  the  people,  by  the  people  and  for  the  people,  from 
perishing  from  the  earth. 

These  are  the  thoughts  that  came  over  me  as  entering  at 
the  archway  at  the  north  transept  I  looked  over  the  crowd 
which  had  already  gathered  notwithstanding  it  was  an  hour 
before  the  services.  By  dint  of  patient  waiting  I  at  length 
found  a  position  near  the  pulpit  where  a  good  view  of 
chancel  and  choir  could  be  had.  Near  where  I  stood  was  a 
statue  of  Disraeli,  the  cynical  leader  of  conservative  thought. 
Next,  that  other  chancellor,  Lord  Palmerston,  who  in  our 
civil  war  hoped  for  the  dissolution  of  the  Republic,  and  but 
for  Prince  Albert's  kindly  friendship  and  the  victories  of 
Grant  would  have  lent  England's  aid  to  the  enemies  of  the 
Union.  And  near  the  entrance  was  the  figure  of  Pitt,  who, 
in  our  earliest  struggle  declared  that  if  he  were  an  American 
he  would  never  lay  down  his  arms  until  independence  was 
accomplished,  and  saw  as  a  prophet  a  mighty  nation  of  the 
future. 

How  Pitt  would  enjoy  this  sight  of  the  two  nations  in 
common  sympathy,  for  even  in  the  sadness  of  the  presence 
of  death  there  was  a  glory  over  it  all. 

Beyond,  where  the  oriel  window  threw  subdued  light  into 
the  poet's  corner,  I  see  the  tablets  of  the  men  of  letters.  In 
a  niche  a  new  marble  bust  of  Longfellow  looks  over  where 
a  slab  in  the  pavement  bears  Charles  Dickens'  name.  One 
reads  name  after  name  familiar  to  us  all.  These  are  the 


DEATH   OF   GEN.    GRANT.  243 

men  who  have  done  something.  They  have  knit  all  English 
speaking  people  to  a  common  thought.  To  America  no  less 
than  to  England  they  all  belong. 

Shortly  before  3  o'clock,  the  Duke  of  Cambridge  and 
representatives  of  the  royal  family  having  arrived,  a  pro- 
cession of  the  clergy  of  the  Abbey  entered  the  choir  and  to 
the  muffled  strains  of  Schubert's  funeral  march  proceeded  to1 
the  chancel,  when  the  opening  sentences  of  the  beautiful 
burial  service  and  the  goth  psalm  having  been  chanted  by 
the  choir,  the  Dean  read  impressively  the  usual  texts  begin- 
ning "Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead."  The  remainder 
of  the  service  was  choral,  the  splendidly  trained  choir  giving 
with  most  impressive  effect  the  sad  sweet  dirges  to  the  dead. 
All  this,  not  alone  in  memory  of  the  man,  but  in  memory  of 
an  idea  embodied  in  a  man.  An  American  looking  up  the 
vaulted  roof  where  banners  of  old  chivalry  are  hung,  or 
glancing  on  sculptured  stone,  or  looking  on  representatives 
of  living  royalty  gathered  there,  could  not  help  a  feeling  of 
intense  pride  at  the  triumph  of  that  American  idea  of  the 
equality  of  all  men  and  the  American  nobility  of  labor; 
pride  of  that  land  where  the  brain  and  muscle  and  toil  of 
the  humblest  individual  can  raise  him  to  the  level  of  kings. 
What  saw  these  sculptured  monuments  ?  They  saw  royalty 
bowed  in  honor  to  a  tanner  of  a  little  western  town. 

As  Canon  Farrar  ascended  the  pulpit  and  looked  over  the 
silent  congregation,  such  thoughts  must  have  been  crowding 
upon  his  mind.  Strange  words,  it  seemed  in  the  presence 
of  dead  and  living  representatives  of  feudal  ideas,  were  the 
words  he  spoke.  After  sketching  Grant's  humble  early 
life,  he  said:  "But  such  careers  are  the  glory  of  the 
American  continent.  They  showed  that  the  people  had  a 
sovereign  insight  into  intrinsic  force.  If  Rome  told  with 
pride  how  her  dictators  came  from  the  ploughshare,  America, 
too,  might  record  the  answer  of  the  President  who,  on  being 
asked  what  would  be  his  coat  of  arms,  answered,  proudly 
mindful  of  his  early  struggles,  'A  pair  of  shirt  sleeves.' 
The  answer  showed  a  noble  sense  of  the  dignity  of  labor,  a 


244  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

noble  superiority  to  the  vanities  of  feudalism,  a  strong  con- 
viction that  men  are  to  be  honored  simply  as  men  and  not 
for  the  prizes  of  birth  and  accident. '  * 

The  fact  that  such  words  might  be  spoken  in  Westminster 
Abbey,  under  the  banners  of  old  feudalism  and  before  the 
representatives  of  the  tottering  feudalism  of  to-day,  shows 
how  Bnglish  thought  is  advancing,  and  how,  half  confessed 
it  is,  even  in  these  shades,  that  America  is  right  and  in  the 
van  of  the  nations  in  progressive  thought.  I  cannot  forbear 
giving  the  conclusion  of  the  eloquent  arch-deacon's  address, 
as  it  must  find  a  responsive  chord  in  every  American  heart. 

"We  are  gathered  herein  England  to  do  honor  to  his 
memory.  Could  we  be  gathered  in  a  more  fitting  place  ? 
We  do  not  lack  here  memorials  to  recall  the  history  of  your 
country.  There  is  the  grave  of  Andre;  there  the  monument 
raised  by  grateful  Massachusetts  to  the  gallant  Howe;  there 
is  the  temporary  resting  place  of  George  Peabody;  there  is 
the  bust  of  Longfellow;  over  the  pean's  grave  there  is  the 
faint  semblance  of  Boston  Harbor.  We  add  another  memory 
to-day.  Whatever  there  may  be  between  the  two  nations 
to  forget  and  forgive,  it  is  forgotten,  it  is  forgiven.  "I  will 
not  speak  of  them  as  two  peoples, ' '  said  General  Grant  in 
1877,  "because  in  fact  we  are  one  people  with  a  common 
destiny,  and  that  destiny  will  be  brilliant  in  proportion  to 
the  friendship  and  co-operation  of  the  brethern  dwelling  on 
each  side  of  the  Atlantic. ' '  Oh  !  if  the  two  peoples,  which 
are  one  people,  be  true  to  their  duty,  true  to  their  God,  true 
to  their  I/)rd,  who  can  doubt  that  in  their  hands  are  the 
destinies  of  the  world  ?  Can  anything  short  of  utter 
dementation  ever  thwart  a  destiny  so  manifest  ?  Your 
founders  were  our  sons;  it  was  from  our  past  that  your 
present  grew.  The  monument  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  is  not 
that  name-grave  in  St.  Margaret's;  it  is  the  State  of  Virginia. 
Yours  and  ours  alike  are  the  memories  of  Captain  John 
Smith  and  Pocahontas,  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  of  General 
Oglethorpe's  strong  benevolence  of  soul,  of  the  apostolic 
holiness  of  Berkeley,  and  the  burning  zeal  of  Wesley*  and 
Whitefield;  yours  and  ours  alike  are  the  plays  of  Shake- 


DEATH   OF   GEN.    GRANT.  245 

speare  and  the  poems  of  Milton;  ours  and  yours  alike  are 
all  that  you  have  accomplished  in  literature  or  in  history — 
the  songs  of  Longfellow  and  Bryant,  the  genius  of  Haw- 
thorne and  of  Irving,  the  fame  of  Washington,  Lee,  and 
Grant.  But  great  memories  imply  great  responsibilities.  It 
was  not  for  nothing  that  God  has  made  England  what  she 
is;  not  for  nothing  that  '  'the  free  individualism  of  a  busy 
multitude,  the  humble  traders  of  a  fugitive  people, ' '  snatch- 
ed the  New  World  from  feudalism  and  bigotry;  from  Philip 
II.  and  Louis  XIV.;  from  Menendez  and  Montcalm;  from 
the  Jesuit  and  the  Inquisition;  from  Torquemada  and  from 
Richelieu,  to  make  it  the  land  of  the  Reformation  and 
Republic  of  prosperity  and  of  peace.  "Let  us  auspicate  all 
our  proceedings  in  America,"  said  Edmund  Burke,  with 
the  old  Church  cry  'Sursum  Corda.'  "  But  it  is  for 
America  to  live  up  to  the  spirit  of  such  words,  not  merely  to 
quote  them  with  proud  enthusiasm.  We  have  heard  of. 
"New  times,  new  climes,  new  lands,  new  men,  but  still, 
"The  same  old  tears,  old  crimes  and  oldest  ill." 

It  is  for  America  to  falsify  the  cynical  foreboding.  Let  her 
take  her  place  side  by  side  with  England  in  the  very  van  of 
freedom  and  of  progress,  united  by  a  common  language,  by 
common  blood,  by  common  measures,  by  common  Jnterests, 
by  common  history,  by  common  hopes,  united  by  the 
common  glory  of  great  men,  of  which  this  great  temple  of 
silence  and  reconciliation  is  the  richest  shrine.  Be  it  the 
steadfast  purpose  of  the  two  peoples  who  are  one  people  to 
show  to  all  the  world  not  only  '  'the  magnificent  spectacle  of 
human  happiness, ' '  but  the  still  more  magnificent  spectacle 
of  two  peoples  which  are  one  people,  loving  righteousness 
and  hating  iniquity,  inflexibly  faithful  to  the  principles  of 
eternal  justice  which  are  the  unchanging  law  of  God." 

Only  the  time  and  place  prevented  the  utterance  of  hearty 
applause  which  came  involuntarily  to  the  lips  at  passages  of 
the  eloquent  address. 

After  the  benediction  by  the  venerable  Dean,  the  mighty 
organ  sounded  through  the  arches  the  solemn  Dead  March 
in  Saul.  The  congregation  did  not  move  until  the  muttering 


246  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

thunders  of  the  dirge,  over  which  broke  now  and  then 
the  smooth  sweet  strains  of  hope  and  peace,  had  died  away, 
English  prince  and  peasant,  Americans,  both  from  the 
North  he  led  and  the  South  he  conquered,  stood  with  bowed 
heads  and  seemed  to  hear  in  the  solemn  vibrations  of  the 
organ  the  story  of  his  troubled  life  and  the  troubled  times  of 
the  past.  It  seemed  like  the  thunder  around  Vicksburg 
and  the  hymn  of  peace  at  Appomatox.  The  thunders  of 
war,  the  angry  passions,  the  j  ealousies  of  the  past  all  soft- 
ened and  blended  in  the  distance  to  the  harmonies  of  peace- 
ful chords.  In  the  cloister  shadows  the  muttering  thunder 
tones  sounded  with  weird  effect,  as  of  a  dirge  to  old  times. 
They  seemed  to  come  with  a  moan  from  Edward  the  Con- 
fessor's chapel  and  from  about  the  tombs  of  Elizabeth  and 
her  hapless  victim,  Mary  Queen  of  Scotts;  they  echoed  back 
triumphant  from  Cromwell's  empty  grave.  It  called  up 
pictures  of  past  struggles.  Over  it  all  floated  that  sweet 
hymn  like  light  breaking  through  the  darkness,  reminding 
one  of  Grant's  words,  "Let  us  have  peace."  In  such  a 
place  and  time  one  could  hardly  help  thinking  of  those  lines 
of  Walter  Scott  on  Westminster  Abbey: 

"Here,  where  the  end  of  earthly  things 

Lays  heroes,  patriots,  bards  and  Kings; 

Where  stiff  the  hand,  and  still  the  tongue, 

Of  those  who  fought  and  spake  and  sung; 

Here,  where  the  fettered  aisles  prolong 

The  distant  notes  of  hqly  song, 

As  if  some  angel  spoke  again, 

'All  peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men; 

If  ever  from  an  English  heart, 

O,  here,  let  prejudice  depart." 


ALPINE   CLIMBING.  247 


ALPINE  CLIMBING. 


A  COLLAPSED  SCRIBE — THE  PASSES  OF  D'AXTERNE  AND 
THE  BREVENT — FROM  SIXT  TO  CHAMOUNIX. 


SIERRE,  Switzerland,  Aug.,  1889. 

The  Scribe  has  bidden  farewell  to  the  Parson  and  the 
Professor  at  this  little  Swiss  village  in  the  valley  of  the 
Villais,  noted  for  its  wines.  We  have  come  by  coach  from 
Chamounix,  over  the  Tete  Noir  pass  to  Martigny,  and  so  by 
rail  to  this  point.  After  a  substantial  lunch  the  Parson  and 
Professor  girded  on  their  knapsacks  and  aepenstocks  in 
hand,  started  for  St.  Luc,  up  the  valley  on  the  way  for  a 
steep  climb  to  Zermatt.  The  scribe  accompanied  them  over 
the  river  to  the  entrance  of  the  valley  and  waved  them  fare- 
well. He  had  experienced  sufficient  of  Alpine  climbing  and 
found  the  pace  of  his  comrades  too  much  for  his  own  too 
great  burden  of  flesh,  and  feared  from  effects  so  far  ex- 
perienced that  another  day  such  as  he  had  gone  through 
would  leave  a  Scribe  laid  up  in  some  mountain  chalet;  and 
having  a  desire  to  be  buried  in  his  native  land,  he  concluded 
that  discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor,  and  a  mule's 
back,  coach,  or  railroad  train,  the  better  way  to  see  the 
beauties  of  Switzerland.  But  I  will  tell  you  about  it. 

From  Geneva  a  dummy  engine  and  a  train  of  open  cars 
took  us  to  Annamasse,  and  a  coach  along  the  beautiful  level 
road  to  Samoens.  Here  knapsacks  were  shouldered  and 
the  Parson,  the  Professor  and  the  Scribe  started  for  Sixt, 
from  whence  we  were  to  climb  over  the  Col  d'  Anterne  and 
Col  Brevent,  so  scaling  the  mountains  which  rose  between 
us  and  Chamounix.  It  was  a  beautiful  walk  of  two  hours, 
on  a  white,  hard  road,  winding  through  vineyards  and  finely 
cultivated  fields,  and  then  through  a  gorge  in  the  mountain 
where  the  rushing  Giffre  breaks  through  and  goes  to  join  the 
Arve. 


248  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

I  wish  to  digress  again  on  the  subject  of  Swiss .  roads. 
Here  were  by-paths,  country  roads  off  from  main  lines  of 
travel,  and  yet  as  hard  and  smooth  as  a  floor,  and  curbed 
and  guttered  like  a  city  street.  Of  course  we  cannot  expect 
that  all  over  our  comparatively  new  country  such  roads  are 
possible,  for  these  have  been  the  work  of  centuries.  But  it 
certainly  is  time  we  made  a  beginning. 

Along  the  way  the  men  and  women  were  working  in  the 
fields,  ^t  this  time  mostly  mowing  the  short  grass,  for  they  cut 
the  grass  short  and  often  in  these  little  fields.  By  the  wayside 
were  frequent  shrines,  a  crucifix,  a  rude  carving,  and  then  a 
niche  in  which  were  figures  of  the  Virgin  and  child.  The 
most  of  these  wayside  shrines  I  judge  have  been  erected  by 
private  bounty  and  are  in  memory  of  some  friend  who  has 
passed  to  the  spirit  land.  The  passer-by  is  asked  to  pray 
for  the  soul  of  so-and-so,  in  whose  memory  this  cross  was 
erected.  And  so,  between  the  poetry  of  woods  and  mount- 
ains and  streams  and  waterfalls,  the  element  of  religious 
poetry,  these  relics  of  the  age  of  faith  come  in  and  add  a 
charm  to  the  picture.  The  peasants  in  the  fields  would  nod 
so  pleasantly  as  we  passed,  and  give  us  "Bon  jour"  so 
smilingly,  that  one  could  not  help  thinking  that  they  must 
have  received  some  store  of  comfort  from  the  wayside  shrines 
where  in  the  evening  twilight  they  might  kneel  and  pray. 

And  this  makes  me  take  a  side  path  again  on  the  subject 
of  manners  on  the  road.  We  Americans  are  generally 
afraid  to  even  say  "Good  morning,"  without  its  being 
preceded  by  a  formal  introduction,  and  rarely  speak  as  we 
pass  by.  It  is  a  cold  sort  of  a  thing  to  do.  Of  course,  in 
town  or  city,  people  cannot  go  greeting  each  other  in  crowds, 
and  they  do  not  here.  But  out  on  the  country  road,  the 
pleasant  greeting  sounds  welcome  and  sweet.  And  the 
groups  of  little  girls  and  boys  which  one  may  meet,  will 
courtesy  and  duck  their  heads  with  a  merry  "Bon  jour, 
Monsieur, ' '  that  calls  for  a  similar  kindly  response.  And 
when  the  dead  pass  by,  whether  through  the  crowded  streets 
of  city  or  the  quiet  country  road,  all,  rich  and  poor,  and 
high  and  low,  stop  and  raise  their  hats  in  respect  and 


ALPINE   CLIMBING.  249 

sympathy.  I  have  seen  the  bodies  of  some  of  the  greatest 
•of  America's  sons  borne  in  state  through  the  thronged 
streets  of  cities  and  hardly  a  hat  lifted  as  the  funeral  car 
passed.  But  in  Paris,  one  day,  I  saw  passing  the  funeral  of 
a  poor  child.  Four  kindly  neighbors  bore  the  plain  little 
coffin  on  their  shoulders,  and  behind  walked  the  priest  and 
the  parents  and  a  group  of  friends.  On  they  plodded 
through  the  busy,  crowded  street,  but  the  workmen  in  their 
blue  blouses,  and  officers  in  their  gaudy  uniforms,  and  all 
ranks,  doffed  their  hats  and  bowed  to  Death,  the  great 
leveler.  You  could  see  the  wave  of  human  sympathy  swept 
through  the  streets  in  the  raising  of  hats  as  the  body  of  the 
little  child  passed  through. 

''A  Sixt?"  inquired  the  Parson,  not  being  sure  of  the 
road.  "A  Sixt,"  he  was  answered,  as  the  smiling  peasant 
pointed  forward,  and  so  we  went  our  way  to  where  the  road 
between  river  and  mountain  winds  through  a  gorge,  and 
then  breaks  out  into  the  Horse  Shoe  Valley,  as  it  is  called, 
at  one  end  of  which  is  Sixt.  Mountains  all  about  us,  and 
ice-capped  Buet  in  the  distance  as  we  came  into  this  amphi- 
theatre where  the  gods  do  contend  with  the  lightnings  and 
the  storm,  and  passing  through  the  village  street  with  its 
usual  fountain  where  the  the  women  wash  all  day  and  spread 
the  dirt  more  evenly  through  one's  linen,  we  came  to  the 
Hotel  du  Fer  a  Cheval.  I  use  the  French  because  I  can  copy 
it  easily  out  of  the  guidebook.  The  English  of  it  is  the 
Horse  Shoe  House.  It  was  formerly  a  monastery,  but  the 
abbots  are  dead  and  the  priests  have  fled  these  many  years 
gone  by.  I  tried  to  install  the  Parson  as  the  abbot  of  the 
institution,  but  you  can't  in  any  way  make  an  abbot  out  of 
a  Presbyterian  minister.  The  Professor  agreed  that  the 
Scribe  had  the  best  figure  for  an  abbot  and  so  I  said,  "Pax 
Vobiscum,"  and  we  went  to  bed  with  clear  consciences  and 
the  wicked  fleas,  and  the  Scribe  dreamed  of  procession  of 
monks  in  the  cloisters  and  chants  and  vesper  bells,  and  then 
of  inquisitions  and  tortures,  and  that  he,  a  heretic,  had  been 
discovered  by  the  spirits  of  the  monks  occupjing  their  sacred 
rooms,  and  they  put  him  to  torture  by  pinching  his  flesh 


250  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

with  red-hot  pincers.     And  then  he  would  awake   to  find  it 
was  only  the  flees,  and  then  sleep  to  dream  again. 

It  was  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  the  new  brother- 
hood turned  out  and  absolved  themselves  in  the  wash-bowls 
and  partook  of  a  substantial  breakfast  in  the  refectory.  The 
landlord  had  by  this  time  got  his  wits  about  him  so  as  to 
make  the  bill  amply  large  enough.  He  was  drunk  the 
night  before  when  we  arrived,  and  spoke  cross-eyed  in 
English,  French,  German  and  native,  whatever  that  was. 
The  Parson  understands  German  perfectly,  and  a  little 
French,  while  the  Professor  can  easily  read  the  classic  Greek 
and  Latin,  and  the  Scribe  understands  English,  or  at  least 
United  States  English  fairly,  but  none  of  us  could  make  out 
the  mixed  jargon  of  the  landlord's  talk.  His  breath  was  very 
distinct,  however,  and  so  was  the  bill  he  presented  in  the 
morning. 

Leaving  the  cloister  shadows,  with  the  pictures  of  old 
saints  and  Latin  maxims  on  the  walls,  we  passed  out  by  the 
brawling  stream,  white  and  foaming  as  it  comes  from  the 
glaciers  far  up  on  the  mountain  tops,  and  through  the 
village  street  where  the  women  had  just  appeared  at  the 
fountains  bringling  their  baskets  of  soiled  linen  and  their 
goitres  with  them.  The  goitre,  even  when  set  off  with 
Alpine  scenery,  is  not  beautiful.  It  is  a  swelling  of  the 
neck,  extending  the  chin  down  in  a  great  baggy  form.  It 
is  usually  worn  over  the  collar,  and  it  seems  as  if  it  would  be 
more  convenient  to  carry  it  on  the  back.  The  goitre  is  a 
peculiar  disease  and  its  cause  does  not  seem  to  be  well 
understood.  It  will  be  almost  universal  in  some  of  these 
mountain  valleys  and  entirely  absent  in  others.  In  this 
Vallee  des  Fonds,  a  Valley  of  Milk  and  one  may  say  of 
honey,*  also,  for  the  valleys  of  Switzerland  literally  flow  with 
milk  and  honey,  the  principal  food  of  the  people,  the  goitre 
seemed  to  be  a  common  ornament.  Some  say  it  is  the 
absence  of  sunlight;  the  majority  of  authorities,  however, 
say  the  constant  use  of  glacier  water,  so  cold,  and  full  of 
ground  rock,  is  the  cause  of  it.  When  the  Scribe  and  Pro- 
fessor learned  this  they  were  glad  they  had  not  exposed 


ALPINE   CLIMBING.  251 

themselves  seriously,  and  declared  they  would  drink  no 
more  water  in  Switzerland ;  for  one  might  get  glacier 
water  by  mistake,  and  if  the  Parson  cared  to  run  the  risk  of 
getting  a  goitre  he  might,  but  they  didn't  want  to  bring 
home  any  such  baggage,  especially  when  good  wine  was 
only  20  cents  a  quart. 

But  this  is  a  digression.  In  fact,  the  first  thing  we  did 
this  morning,  after  walking  around  several  goitres  and 
drawing  the  above  conclusions,  was  to  make  a  digression  in 
our  walk.  We  passed  over  an  old  glacier  bed,  where  great 
rocks  were  tumbling  about  and  loose  round  stones  rolled 
under  the  feet,  and  the  path  was  obliterated.  On  the  other 
side  we  came  to  two  paths,  the  one  a  rugged,  narrow,  stony, 
sharp  ascent,  up  the  side  of  the  mountain,  \vhere  the  sun 
beat  down  unchecked.  The  other  was  a  broad,  smooth  and 
level  walk  along  the  banks  of  a  brawling  stream,  where  the 
grass  was  green  and  flowers  bloomed,  and  the  trees  gave 
grateful  shade.  After  discussing  which  was  the  right  path, 
the  beauty  of  the  latter  decided  us  that  if  it  was  not  the 
right  one  it  ought  to  be,  so  we  entered  in  the  flowery  way 
that  brought  us  toil  and  disappointment.  It  was  a  delight- 
ful walk  of  half  an  hour,  following  the  winding  stream. 
Occasionally  we  would  see  the  other  path  far  above  us. 
Finally  we  came  to  a  bridge  where  we  met  a  peasant  woman 
resting  herself  from  her  great  pack  and  knitting  as  she 
rested  seated  on  a  rock  by  the  wayside.  "Col  d'  Anterne?" 
inquired  the  Parson,  pointing  onward.  "Non,  Monsieur, 
la  !"  said  she,  pointing  upward,  toward  the  rugged  road  we 
had  despised.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but  retrace  our 
steps  and  take  a  new  start  on  the  rugged  narrow  path  if  we 
would  reach  the  upper  heights,  the  goal  of  our  desires. 
The  path  across  the  bridge  and  through  the  woods  looked 
more  attractive  than  ever.  A  group  of  peasants  came  down 
the  path,  laughing  and  singing,  in  spite  of  the  heavy 
burdens  they  were  bearing  to  the  village  beyond.  It  was  a 
scene  of  pastoral  beauty,  but  we  turned  our  backs  upon  it 
and  trudged  back  to  the  rock  strewn  avalanche  course 


252  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

again,  and  with  a  struggle  scrambled  up  the  path  which  led 
over  the  mountain  side. 

If  you  would  rise  to  grander  hights,  said  the  Parson,  and 
enlarge  the  horizon  of  your  life  to  take  in  all  humanity,  and 
nearer  gain  heaven,  stick  to  the  rugged  narrow  path.  Be  a 
partisan,  said  the  Scribe,  and  stick  well  to  the  beaten  path,, 
and  don't  go  fooling  away  your  time  on  side  issues.  And 
the  Parson  will  probably  use  the  illustration  in  a  sermon  and 
the  Scribe  may  work  it  into  an  editorial. 

The  Horseshoe  valley,  up  whose  sides  we  were  now 
climbing,  abounds  in  waterfalls,  cascades  which  come 
tumbling  down  from  the  mountain  peaks,  and  dashing  across 
our  path,  go  foaming  far  down  into  the  valley  below.  One,, 
especially  beautiful  from  the  mountain  side  opposite  us, 
broke  in  long  perpendicular  falls  three  times  before  its  final 
plunge,  so  far  that  it  was  all  spray  and  mist  before  it  reach- 
ed the  bottom,  and  reflected  rainbow  tints  and  waved  back 
and  forth  in  the  breeze  like  a  bridal  veil.  These  tumbling 
mountain  torrents  looked  like  skeins  of  flossy  silk  hung  over 
the  mountain  sides  and  added  grace  to  the  rugged  scenery 
of  rock  and  bare  mountain  peaks,  and  a  new  charm  of  color 
to  the  gray  and  purple  shadows  of  gorge  and  cliff  and  the 
green  of  the  valleys,  broke  here  and  there,  also,  with  the 
stone-weighted  roofs  of  the  cattle  chalets  far  up  the  mountain 
sides. 

Away  in  the  distance,  towering  up  into  the  sky,  where 
the  mountains  seemed  to  hem  the  valley  in,  rose  a  battle- 
mented  peak.  Inaccessible,  it  seemed1,  as  in  form  like  a 
jagged  double  tooth  it  stretched  up  into  the  sky.  "I  hope 
we  don't  go  that  way"  said  the  Professor,  "I  wouldn't  take 
that  job  for  $500."  The  Scribe  agreed  with  him,  and  the 
Parson  said  nothing,  and  toiled  on. 

The  air  seemed  rare  and  more  rare.  The  Scribe  puffed 
harder  and  harder.  How  dry  one  gets  in  this  Alpine  climb- 
ing. Sucking  and  puffing  this  dry,  thin  air  through  the 
mouth, as  the  Scribe  had  to  do  to  get  enough  to  keep  his 
lungs  working,  the  mouth  and  throat  get  parched,  and  the 
tongue  rattles  around  like  a  dry  pea  in  its  pod.  The 


ALPINE    CUMBING.  253 

mountain  torrents  looked  most  refreshing,  and  the  Scribe 
felt  that  he  could  stand  under  one  and  let  the  whole  cascade 
down  his  throat.  Indeed,  he  did  dry  up  several  and  spoiled 
several  sections  of  scenery  in  quenching  his  intolerable 
thirst.  Bye  and  bye  the  path  commenced  to  zigzag  up  the 
perpendicular  sides.  We  had  been  going  straight  up  stairs 
before,  but  these  zigzag  paths  to  the  top  are  most  dis- 
couraging. You  toil  and  stumble  for  an  hour  and  then  you 
can  toss  a  stone  to  the  place  you  started  from.  And  the 
worst  of  it  is  that  the  angle  of  every  zigzag  looks  as  if  it  was 
the  top  ol  the  mountain,  and  when  one  has  with  an  inspira- 
tion born  of  this  hope,  struggled  up  to  the  angle,  there  are 
zigzags  reaching  upward  still  beyond.  "Oh  Mamma  !" 
exclaimed  the  Professor,  yearning  for  that  sympathy  which 
in  childhood  had  helped  him  over  his  sorrows  and  struggles. 
And  the  Scribe  sympathized  with  him,  but  the  Parson  only 
smiled  in  a  sort  of  aggravating  way,  and  made  his  alpen- 
stock beat  time  more  rapidly  on  the  cold,  unfeeling  rocks. 

But  by  and  by  even  he  was  was  willing  to  stop  a  moment, 
and  then,  by  looking  around,  the  Professor  exclaimed,  "By 
the  immortal  George  Washington,  if  we  are  not  right  on 
that  peak  which  I  wouldn't  ascend  for  $500.  "And  we 
were.  Right  over  our  heads  rose  the  jagged,  battlemented 
crest  of  the  Dent  d'Anterne. 

"It  is  by  keeping  straight  on,  steadily  putting  one  foot 
before  the  other,"  said  the  Parson,  that  we  accomplish  sun- 
kissed  heights  which  seem  impossible  from  the  vales  below 
where  the  shadows  prevail."  "Oh,  put  that  on  ice," 
grumbled  the  Professor,  as  he  looked  toward  the  ice-clad 
peak  of  Buet.  Another  struggle  upward,  with  many  dis- 
appointments that  the  top  if  the  pass  did  not  appear,  and 
then  three  crosses  were  seen  on  a  ragged  edge  of  rocks. 

It  is  the  top,  said  the  Parson.  One  cross  was  for  him, 
one  for  the  Professor,  one  for  the  Scribe. 

The  Scribe  felt  that  he  had  borne  his  all  the  way  from 
Sixt  and  it  belonged  to  him.  Way  back  in  the  distance,  in 
the  smiling  valley  we  could  see  the  village  of  Sixt  through 
the  opening  of  the  mountains  and  could  trace  the  path  by 


254  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

which  we  had  come.  The  frowning  mountains,  wreathed 
with  cascades,  the  smiling  green  valley  dotted  with  groups 
of  chalets,  the  purple  shadows,  the  grays,  the  greens,  the 
wooded  slopes,  the  long  perspective  wThere  the  sunlight  and 
shadows  made  varying  tints  of  color,  all  made  a  picture  well 
worth  an  effort  to  see.  On  the  other  side  of  us  was  the 
valley  of  the  Diosaz,  where  the  cattle  were  feeding  in  the 
pastures,  and  beyond  rose  the  Brevent,  8,000  feet,  over 
which  we  were  yet  to  climb  that  day.  It  was  a  lovely 
prospect  back,  for  we  had  accomplished  it,  but  it  looked 
mighty  weary  ahead.  The  guide  book  said  we  were  7,435 
feet  above  the  sea.  The  professor  estimated  it  at  20,969 
feet.  The  Scribe  said  that  Baedeker  was  evidently  wrong. 
He  could  take  his  oath  that  he  had  climbed  up  over  50,000 
feet.  The  Parson  stuck  by  the  guide  book.  He  believes 
in  the  guide  book  as  he  does  in  the  Bible. 

The  Scribe  was  utterly  exhausted.  He  begged  five 
minutes  for  a  nap,  and  it  was  granted.  Unslinging  his 
knapsack,  he  put  it  behind  his  head  against  a  rock  and 
closed  his  eyes.  In  a  second  the  scenery  did  not  interest. 


THE    VALLEY    OF  DIOSAZ — A    STRUGGLE  ON    THE  COL 
VENT — A  NIGHT   IN  A   CATTLE   CHALET — VICTORY 
AND  DEFEAT. 

SlERRE,  Aug.    1889. 

Five  minutes  is  up,  said  the  Parson ,  as  he  roused  the 
Scribe  from  his  nap,  and  taking  a  last  look  at  the  scenery 
behind  with  the  foreground  of  the  little  blue  lake  of 
D' Anterne  way  up  here  on  this  height,  we  turned  our  faces 
toward  the  Col  Brevent  which  loomed  up  over  8,000  feet  011 
the  opposite  side  cf  the  valley.  Over  it  we  could  see  the 
glittering  dome  of  Mt.  Blanc  rising  through  the  clouds, 
itself  like  a  great  white  cloud  far  up  in  the  sky.  Between 
the  Brevent  and  the  Mt.  Blanc  range,  we  knew,  was  the 
narrow  valley  in  which  was  the  village  of  Chamounix,  which 
was  our  destination. 


ALPINE   CLIMBING.  255 

We  descended  rapidly  the  narrow,  steep  zigzag  path 
which  led  down  into  the  valley  of  Diosaz,  but  not  so  rapidly 
as  a  party  of  chamois  hunters  we  met  at  the  top  of  the  Col 
d'  Anterne.  Col,  by  the  way,  means  mountain  pass,  in 
English.  These  chamois  hunters  in  their  velveteen  jackets 
and  pluaied  hats  added  a  nationality  to  the  scenery.  It  was 
provoking  how  easily  they  would  scamper  up  the  steepest 
places  and  climb  rocks  and  peer  cautiously  over  to  get  a 
sight  of  the  game.  They  paid  no  attention  to  zigzag  paths, 
but  holding  their  guns  over  their  heads  and  half  squatting, 
they  would  put  their  feet  together  and  toboggan  down  the 
steepest  places  for  hundreds  of  feet,  where  you  would  swear 
they  would  never  stop  until  they  reached  the  foot  of  the 
mountain.  Springing  from  rock  to  rock,  hanging  on  the 
side  of  precipices,  they  seemed  as  sure-footed  and  nimble  as 
the  game  they  pursued. 

We  would  have  liked  to  have  done  it  that  way,  but  didn't, 
as  we  feared  to  muss  up  the  valley  thousands  of  feet  below 
or  blaze  a  way  down  with  our  bones.  So  zigzag  down  we 
rushed,  twisting  and  turning  the  sharp  angles  to  the  Chalet 
des  Fonds,  where,  as  the  name  indicates,  we  could  get  a 
glass  of  fresh  milk,  then  across  the  valley  to  commence  the 
ascent  of  the  Col  Brevent.  It  was  a  discouraging  outlook  to 
the  Scribe.  He  was  about  used  up  already  by  the  long 
walk  from  Sixt  since  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  until  past 
mid-day,  nothing  to  eat  and  one  more  mountain  to  cross. 
Worse  than  that,  one  could  see,  stretching  away  up  the  side 
of  the  valley,  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees,  the  weary  path  he 
must  follow,  a  mere  shelf  in  the  side  of  the  cliff  with  the 
mountain  straight  up  on  one  side  and  the  abyss  straight 
down  the  other,  going  to  thousands  of  feet  in  depth  as  one 
ascends  and  in  the  distance  the  tops  of  the  range  over  which 
one  must  cross.  But  it  must  be  done  if  one  would  get  out 
of  the  valley,  and  there  were  no  places  except  a  group  of 
rude  chalets  at  which  to  stop,  so  the  Scribe  set  his  teeth 
together  and  followed  on  after  the  Parson  and  Professor, 
walking  on  his  nerve.  We  did  very  well  for  some  time  and  ac- 
complished a  good  distance, coming  to  some  cattle  chalets  about 


256  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 

a  quarter  of  the  distance  to  the  top.  The  Savoyard  cattleman 
offered  to  carry  the  Scribe's  knapsack  over  the  pass  for  a 
small  compensation,  but  the  offer  was  scorned  and  the  pro- 
cession moved  on.  But  soon  we  struck  those  discouraging 
zigzag  paths  again,  and  the  Scribe  began  to  weaken,  a 
circumstance  which  the  cattleman  had  evidently  figured  on, 
for  he  appeared  again  and  his  offer  was  this  time  accepted. 
But  it  did  no  good.  The  pack  on  the  back  was  easily* 
carried.  The  Scribe  wished  he  could  only  put  his  stomach 
in  the  pack  and  get  that  carried,  and  then,  as  he  toiled 
onward,  he  thought  he  could  make  the  pass  if  he  could  take 
his  flesh  off  and  get  that  carried  while  he  walked  over  in  his 
bones.  If  he  could  only  take  his  tired  legs  off  and  carry 
them  under  his  arms,  it  would  be  a  relief.  Perspiration  was 
rolling  from  him.  His  clothing  was  saturated  with  it,  and 
the  path  behind  him  was  slippery  where  he  larded  it  as  he 
dragged  himself  along.  It  was  about  half  way  between  the 
cattle  chalets  and  the  top  where  the  Scribe  collapsed.  He 
threw  himself  down  on  a  flat  rock  by  the  side  of  a  cool 
mountain  torrent,  and  told  the  Parson  and  Professor  to  go 
on  and  he  would  follow  after  a  brief  rest.  But  he  didn't 
intend  to  do  any  such  thing.  He  meant  to  die  right  there, 
he  was  so  utterly  exhausted.  The  Scribe  lay  thinking  how 
easy  it  was  to  die,  anyway.  Only  a  flutter  and  life  would 
be  gone.  But  after  a  time  of  rest,  it  didn't  seem  quite  the 
thing  to  do.  His  body  would  be  found  and  it  would  make 
an  account  in  the  newspapers  and  .his  biography  would  be 
published  full  of  mistakes  with  his  name  spelled  wrong,  and 
he  concluded  to  live  to  get  out  of  the  valley  in  some  way. 

While  thinking  of  these  things  the  attention  of  the  Scribe 
was  attracted  to  a  bit  of  green-sward  near  by  which  looked 
as  if  a  painter  had  scattered  his  brightest  colors  over  it. 
There  were  thistles,  and  dandelions,  dasies  and  harebells, 
common  flowers  enough,  but  one  would  hardly  expect  to 
find  them  up  here  near  the  edge  of  eternal  snow-drifts,  and 
the  colors  were  so  brilliant  and  so  varied.  The  dandelion, 
for  instance,  its  stem  grown  wiry  instead  of  tubular  as  in 
our  fields,  has  innumerable  tints,  from  deep  red  orange  to 


ALPINE   CLIMBING.  257 

brightest  gold,  and  the  thistle  blossom  glows  in  dark  purple, 
and  th?  golds. i  hearted  daisy  seems  more  vivid  in  its  colors, 
while  the  delicate  blue  of  the  harebell,  mingling  with  the 
other  gorgeous  dyes,  flecked  the  deep  green  grass  with 
color.  Painted,  one  would  never  believe  that  it  was  nature, 
but  way  up  here,  where  the  breath  from  the  snow-drifts 
fanned  the  blossoms,  old  Nature  has  put  against  the  dark 
gray  rocks,  these  marvels  of  bright  colors  and  in  these  soli- 
tudes kept  her  choicest  tints  and  most  brilliant  flowers. 
And  then  the  sun  went  down  behind  the  peaks  or  across  the 
valley,  and  soon  beyond,  where  the  ice-clad  tea  :s  of  the  Mt. 
Blanc  range  showed  above  the  intervening  mountains,  the 
rosy  tints  of  sunset  commenced  to  show.  They  deepened 
into  a  glow  as  if  the  snow  peaks  were  on  fire,  and  from  peak 
to  peak  leaped  mysterious  lights,  and  crept  down  their 
snow-clad  sides.  It  -was  a  cresm  of  color  and  light;  a 
beauty  beyond  the  artist's  brush. 

A  halloo  above  brought  the  Scribe  back  from  the  moun- 
tain peaks  to  a  knowledge  of  immediate  surroundings,  as  he 
saw  his  Savoyard  scrambling  down  toward  him  with  a  bottle 
in  his  hand.  Hope  revived  and  help  was  near.  But  as  the 
Savoyard  came  up,  the  Scribe  saw  that  the  bottle  was 
empty  and  despair  followed.  In  quesr  French  patois  of  the 
mountains  the  cattleman  told  the  Scribe  that  it  was  then  too 
late  to  make  the  top  of  the  pass  before  night  would  set  in; 
that  we  might  walk  cffa  precipice  or  die  in  the  snow-drifts. 
So  I  had  better  go  back  with  him  to  his  chalet  and  spend 
the  night.  The  Scribe  thought  so  too.  There  was  but  one 
regret  about  it.  Thousands  of  feet  below,  half  way  down 
to  the  valley,  he  could  see  the  tops  of  the  chalets.  When 
he  thought  of  the  toil  and  pain  he  had  experienced  in 
getting  up  to  this  point,  he  felt  as  if  a  pile  of  energy  would 
be  wasted  in  retracing  his  steps  to  come  over  the  same  weary 
road  in  the  morning.  But  there  was  only  the  choice  of 
staying  on  the  mountain  all  night,  and  a  fair  chance  of  a 
thunder  storm  or  even  a  sprinkle  of  snow,  so  back  down  the 
path  he  scampered  with  his  Savoyard  guide. 

We  came  after  a  time  to  where  the  cattle  and   goats  were 


258  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

browsing  on  the  upland  pastures,  and  as  it  was  milking 
time  the  cattle  tender  called  them,  as  we  passed  along,  in  his 
musical  Savoyard  speech,  each  by  name,  and  down  the 
mountain  sides  they  came,  the  goats  leaping  from  rock  to 
rock,  and  their  musical  bells  making  a  sweet  harmony  from 
cliff  to  mountain  dell.  A  CDW  bell,  by  itself,  is  not  a  re- 
markably sweet  musical  instrument,  but  when  there  are  a 
number  of  them,  for  each  cow  is  provided,  and  you  have 
distance  to  soften  and  blend  the  tones,  and  the  tinkle  of  the 
bells  on  the  goats  is  intermingled,  you  get  a  rich  harmony 
echoing  through  the  mountain  pastures. 

The  affection  of  the  brutes  for  their  keeper  was  manifest. 
They  would  struggle  for  a  place  by  his  side  and  rub  against 
him,  and  the  goats  seemed  to  pity  the  Scribe  and  rub  their 
noses  in  the  palms  of  his  hands  for  sympathy,  although 
perhaps  it  was  for  salt.  And  so  we  went  scrambling  dowrn 
in  procession  to  where  the  chalets  stood  by  the  side  of  a 
mountain  torrent  that  came  darting  from  far  above  on  its 
way  to  the  valley. 

Now  a  chalet  may  be  an  elegant  mansion,  with  wide, 
overhanging  roofs,  and  pleasant  galleries  and  outside  stair- 
ways, the  first  story  of  well-built  stone  wall,  and  the  second 
of  timbers.  But  a  cattle  chalet  is  nothing  but  rough  stone 
piled  up  in  the  form  of  a  square,  with  a  roof  over  it,  the 
shingles  being  held  with  heavy  stones  instead  of  being 
nailed.  The  stones  held  the  chalet  down,  or  otherwise  an 
avalanche  might  come  along  and  move  it  on  to  the 
neighbor's  farm  next  below.  The  doors  of  the  cattle  sheds 
stood  open,  and  each  cow  evidently  knew  where  to  go,  for 
they  filed  into  their  respective  houses  like  soldiers. 

The  Scribe  bathed  himself  in  the  mountain  stream  and 
went  into  the  chalet  where  the  cattle  man  lived.  It  was  a 
little  better  than  those  which  held  the  cattle.  No  window 
except  the  open  door,  two  or  three  stones  in  the  corner  made 
the  fireplace,  a  board  on  sticks  made  a  table  and  a  board  on 
lower  supports  a  bench  to  sit  on.  Apart  of  the  mountain 
stream  poured  in  at  the  corner  of  the  room,  and  falling  in  a 


ALPINE   CLIMBING.  259 

trench  passed  out  under  the  wall.  This  was  the  bath.  The 
rafters  and  sides  were  ornamented  with  cow  and  goat  skins 
made  into  cloaks  for  rainy  or  rough  weather,  and  short 
stocked,  long  lashed  whips  and  other  necessaries  of  the 
cattle  tenders. 

The  Savoyard  heated  some  milk  and  produced  a  loaf  of 
black  bread  and  some  cheese  for  the  Scribe's  supper.  The 
milk  was  readily  taken,  but  the  bread  could  not  be  mastered 
even  after  soaking  it.  It  was  as  if  blasted  out  of  the 
mountain  side.  But  the  best  they  had  was  freely  offered, 
and  the  Scribe  was  duly  grateful  and  he  paid  liberally  for  it. 
A  kindly  set  were  these  Savoyards,  real  gentlemen,  every- 
one, and  in  their  pleasant  way  were  most  kind  to  the 
stranger  who  had  become  their  unexpected  guest.  Supper 
over,  the  Scribe  wished  to  retire,  and  asked  to  be  shown  to 
his  bed-room.  He  was  conducted  up  a  ladder  over  the 
cheese  room  which  tormed  the  rear  apartment,  and  there 
were  blankets  spread  upon  the  hay.  He  didn't  wish  to 
disturb  the  regular  arrangements  or  deprive  any  one  of  their 
bed  and  so  asked  for  the  guest's  chamber.  The  Savoyard 
hollowed  out  a  place  in  a  fresh  mow  of  hay,  and  the  Scribe 
crawled  in  and  was  soon  unconscious,  rousing  a  little  as  the 
men  came  in  from  the  pastures  and  half  dreamily  hearing 
their  conversation,  which  was  probably  about  the  stranger 
asleep  in  the  mow.  The  loft  must  have  been  filled.  A 
thunder  storm,  which,  echoing  from  peak  to  peak,  seemed 
as  if  all  of  heaven's  artillery  had  broken  loose  at  once,  made 
the  Scribe  glad  he  was  not  up  on  the  mountain  side. 

With  the  first  streak  of  dawn  the  cattle-men  were  out 
again,  and  by  five  o'clock,  when  the  Scribe  crawled  out, 
but  two  were  left.  What  hard  lives  for  a  mere  existence  ! 
And  yet,  even  here  they  get  more  than  that  out  of  it,  and 
seemed  a  happy  set  of  fellows. 

After  a  breakfast  of  a  bowl  of  warm  milk,  the  Savoyard 
having  done  the  morning  work  of  milking  the*  cows  and 
goats,  the  Scribe  and  he  started  to  drive  them  to  the 
pastures  which  were  on  our  way  over  the  Brevent.  Leaving 
them  where  the  grass  was  good,  we  climbed  over  the  path 


260  EDITORIAL  .  MISCELLANIES. 

where  the  Scribe  had  toiled  so  painfully  the  day  before. 
The  top  of  the  pass  was  shrouded  in  clouds  as  we  reached  it, 
and  it  was  a  wilderness  of  great  rocks  as  big  as  a  city  block 
tossed  about.  There  were  numerous  snow-drifts  which  we 
passed  through,  and  the  Scribe  pelted  the  guide  just  to  say 
he  had  snow-balled  in  August.  Then  down  the  other  side 
toward  the  vale  of  Chatnouinx,  on  the  other  side  of  which 
rose  the  great  white  peaks  and  the  dome  of  Mt.  Blanc. 

One  cannot  describe  the  effect  these  great  mountains  have 
on  one.  You  look  up  among  the  clouds  where  you  expect 
the  top  of  the  mountain  might  be,  and  then  look  twice  as 
high,  and  there  Mt.  Blanc  sticks  its  dome  through  the 
distant  clouds.  A  man  feels  himself  shrink  to  the  dimensions 
of  an  insect  as  he  looks  on  these  wondrous  works. 

It  is  a  mighty  mean  path  down  the  Brevent.  It  is  narrow 
and  steep  and  with  sharp  angles.  It  appears  as  if  you  could 
step  off  into  Chamottnix  in  the  valley  below.  But  8,000 
feet  is  too  far  to  step  comfortably  straight  down.  The  guide 
kept  the  outside  of  the  path  and  the  Scribe  was  willing  he 
should,  and  scrambling  down  for  an  hour,  we  reached  the 
Chalet  du  Plan  Piaz  a  third  of  the  way  down,  perhaps,  and 
by  the  steepest  part  of  the  ascent.  There  the  Scribe  found 
the  Parson  and  Professor  in  bed,  roused  them  out  to  give  him 
a  chance,  wrung  a  pailful  of  perspiration  out  of  his  shirt  and 
hung  it  out  to  dry  and  then  took  a  nap. 

After  breakfast  we  climbed  Mt.  Blanc  with  a  telescope, 
which  was  on  the  level  in  front  of  the  chalet.  That  is  the 
best  way  to  climb  a  mountain.  •  The  view  is  grand  from 
this  point,  face  to  face  with  the  monarch's  of  the  Swiss  Alps, 
and  with  the  great  blue  glaciers,  which  wind  down  their 
sides,  with  the  pleasant,  smiling,  green  valley  of  the  Arve, 
and  the  white  ribbon  of  the  river  between . 

It  was  a  long  but  easy  road  down  to  Chamounix.  So 
near  it  seemed  and  yet  it  was  so  far.  But  finalty  the  valley 
was  reached,  and  a  short  walk  through  the  meadows  brought 
us  to  the  village  street. 

The  Parson  had  laid  out  a  walk  over  the  Mer  de  Glace 
and  so  on  over  the  Col  de  Balm  to  Marti gny  for  that  day. 


ALPINE   CLIMBING.  26 1 

But  the  Scribe  said  he  was  through  with  the  walking  busi- 
ness and  would  pay  for  a  coach  to  Martigny.  The  Professor 
was  glad.  The  Parson  didn't  allow  that  he  was,  but 
he  made  no  objection.  It  was  a  grand  ride  over  the 
Col  Forclaz  and  the  Tete  Noir  pass,  and  for  a  nervous 
person,  a  slightly  uncomfortable  one  too,  as  the  coach  rushes 
down  the  winding  road  and  threatens  to  slew  over  and  dump 
the  passengers  into  the  river  so  far  below  that  it  is  but  a 
thread.  And  so  we  came  down  into  Martigny,  where  the 
railroad  was  reached  which  brought  us  to  Sierre,  and  there 
the  Parson  and  the  Professor,  still  not  satisfied,  bade  fare- 
well to  the  Scribe. 


262  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 


EDINBURGH  AND  SURROUNDINGS. 


BY  W.  D.   MCK. 

I  like  to  poke  off  by  myself  when  in  a  place  of  historic 
interest  and  in  some  sheltered  place,  undisturbed  by 
conversation  which  continually  calls  one  back  to  the  present,, 
to  go  back  in  a  dreaTy" way  to  the  old  days  of  romance,  and 
people  the  surrounding  scenery  with  the  personages  and 
events  which  were  familiar  to  it  in  years  that  only  history 
tells  of,  or,  to  let  the  fancy  again  picture  the  scenes  of  fiction 
that  the  novelist  has  placed  in  these  surroundings.  With 
such  a  purpose  I  climbed  Calton  Hill  toward  the  close  of  the 
long  Scotch  gloaming,  that  peculiar  half  light  that  reaches 
far  into  the  night,  and  while  it  obscures  nothing  throws  a 
softened  shadow  over  everything,  and  best  suits  the  purposes 
of  a  dreamer.  I  sat  on  the  carriage  of  one  of  the  cannon  r 
trophies  of  the  Crimea  that  are  planted  about  the  base  of 
Nelson's  monument,  and  the  city  arid  all  for  miles  about  lay 
like  a  panorama  about  me. 

Edinburgh  is  a  city  of  nearly  300,000  inhabitants.  Its 
new  part  is  a  bustling  modern  city,  active  with  trade  and 
commerce  and  the  unromantic  details  of  pushing,  vigorous 
modern  business  life.  This  is  not  what  we  came  to  see;  we 
came  to  see  the  city  of  youth's  imaginations,  where  chivalry 
held  its  show  of  pomp,  where  beautiful  Mary  had  passed  so 
much  of  her  troubled  life,  where  the  long  line  of  Scottish 
Kings  had  held  Court  and  which  Scott  had  glorified  in  song 
and  story.  That  "City  of  Palaces." 

"Flinging  her  white  arms  to  the  sea, 
Queen  of  the  unconquered  North  !  " 

The  hum  of  business  life  faintly  comes  up  here,  344  feet 
above  the  plain  below.  Near  by,  on  the  crest  of  the  hill  is 
a  half  finished  model  of  the  Parthenon,  its  white  pillars 
gleaming  like  a  broken  harp  against  the  sky.  It  is  more 
picturesque  than  if  it  were  complete.  Another  Greek 
looking  building  is  the  royal  observatory,  and  several  monu- 
ments also  adorn  the  hill.  To  the  north  is  the  gleaming 
Firth  and  the  busy  port  of  Leith  connected  with  this  hill 


EDrNBX'RGH    AlSTD  "SURROUNDINGS. 

by  a  carriage  road  built  on  the  top  of  a  line  of  old  earth- 
works; farther  around  to  the  east,  on  the  shores  of  the 
Firth,  is  Portabello,  a  pleasant  watering  place,  and  then  onf 
view  is  cut  off  by  the  side  -of  Arthur's  Seat  which  rears  its 
lion  like  form  822  feet  above  the  sea,  its  lion  head  looking 
at  the  city  over  the  Salisbury  Crags  on  the  precipitous  side 
•of  which  a  road  called  the  Queen's  Walk  goes  by  an  easy 
.grade  up  to  the  summit.  At  its  foot  lies  the  plain  of  the 
Queen's  Park,  back  of  the  palace  of  Holyrood  where  a 
ruined  chapel  shows  the  landscape  beyond  through  broken 
arches  and  graceful  window  frames  of  carved  stone;  from 
that  a  steep  sided  ridge  rises  to  the  north  and  terminates 
abruptly  in  a  promontory  380  feet  above  the  plain,  crowned 
with  the  castle.  Up  the  back  of  this  ridge,  from  Holyrood 
to  the  castle,  runs  old  Canongate  street,  and  on  this  steep 
ascent  is  the  old  town  of  history  and  romance  with  its 
buildings  which  tower  from  the  rear  in  many  stories  to  get 
&  foot  hold  for  two  stories  on  their  fronts;  of  crowded  closes 
where  steep  flights  of  stone  stairs  lead  from  one  street  to 
another,  and  where  St,  Giles'  airy  dome  marks  the  old 
parliament  square;  at  the  east  of  this  ridge  a  deep  ravine 
where  once  flowed  the  waters  of  a  lake  is  now  laid  out  in 
beautiful  gardens  and  its  nearer  bank  rises  less  abrupt  and 
high  to  a  level  plateau,  stretching  to  the  Firth,  on  which 
stands  the  new  town  with  its  handsome  modern  architecture, 
delightful  parks  and  noble  monuments. 

But  it  is  the  old  town  which  most  interests  the  tourist: 
the  old  town  that  was  walled  in  between  its  precipitous 
sides,  where  Holyrood  sleeps  at  its  feet  aud  the  castle  girts 
with  steel  its  brow;  the  town  of  Knox,  the  stern  covenanter 
preacher,  of  Regent  Murray  and  his  schemes,  of  stern 
inconoclastic  Covenanters  and  catholic  Cavaliers;  of 
beautiful  Mary  and  timid  Rizzio  and  treacherous  Darnley 
and  ambitious,  traitorous  Both  well;  of  Jack  Porteous  and 
Rob  Roy  and  sweet  brave,  Jennie  Deans,  and  of  James  V. 
atid  his  merry  court,  and  of  the  Douglas  and  of  the  chivalry 
of  old.  As  the  day  darkens  and  lights  begin  to  flash  out 
from  the  ridgy  spine  of  the  old  town,  and  far  off,  seeming 


264  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

like  stars,  the  lights  shine  through  the  loop  holes  of  the 
castle  towers,  visions  of  the  days  of  old  crowd  on  one  as  he 
looks  from  Calton  Hill.  The  busy  commercial  life  of  the 
present  fades  with  the  fading  day,  the  progress  of  the  years 
is  forgotten,  the  roar  of  railway  trains  is  the  march  of 
armies,  the  fact  of  the  telegraph  and  printing  press  dis- 
appears. A  bugle  call  comes  faintly  from  the  castle  walls 
and  wre  imagine  a  train  of  knights  on  richly  caparisoned 
horses  going  down  old  Canongate  to  Holyrood. 

After  all,  to  an  American,  surrounded  only  by  a  few 
marks  of  history  reaching  back  a  short  hundred  years,  it  is, 
in  spite  of  his  reason  and  knowledge  of  the  present,  almost 
a  disappointment  to  find  that  there  has  been  progress  in 
lands  with  which  he  is  only  acquainted  through  the  pages 
of  old  histories,  the  fascinating  scenes  of  romance  and  story, 
or  in  stirring  minstrel  songs  of  deeds  of  valor.  He  has, 
someway,  always  imagined  a  land  as  it  is  pictured  to  his 
childhood's  fancy,  and  these  old  tales  crowd  first  upon  him 
in  spite  of  daily  papers  and  cable  dispatches.  He  cannot 
repress  a  lurking,  unacknowledged  disappointment  that 
everything  of  life,  costume  and  custom  is  not  even  now  just 
as  he  has  read  about  it,  and  so  far  as  he  can,  he  will  see  it 
all  through  the  eyes  of  old  poets  and  seers.  No  tourist 
ever  writes  of  the  busy  commercial  city  of  Edinburgh  as  it 
now  exists,  for  that  would  be  like  the  story  of  any  other 
commercial  town  in  America  or  any  other  country,  but  he 
reverses  his  opera  'glass  and  throws  his  .picture  to  distant 
times;  times  not  really  to  be  admired,  and  yet  with  strange 
inconsistency  admired  the  most.  We  know  that  the  days  of 
chivalry  were  really  the  most  unchivalrous  of  all  days; 
that  foul  murder,  treachery,  low, mean  ambitions,  and  narrow 
minds  were  the  leading  features;  that  brother  could  not 
trust  brother  and  that  fathers  had  to  guard  against  their 
sons;  that  the  highest  deeds  of  emprise  were  brought  about 
in  trying  to  steal  a  neighbor's  cattle,  and  that  those  good 
old  days  were  damnable  in  every  way,  and  the  heroes  of  the 
times  were  none  of  them  unstained  with  deeds  of  darkest 
treachery,  and  cowardly  conspiracies.  There  is  not  a  man 


EDINBURGH   AND  SURROUNDINGS.  265 

or  woman,  real,  honest  and  true  all  through  in  all  the 
history  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  unless  it  be  sweet  St. 
Margaret,  Malcom  Canmore's  gentle  queen,  who  ruled  her 
warlike  husband  and  herself,  or  maybe,  stern  John  .Knox, 
who  was  so  upright  and  manly  that  he  never  feared  the  face 
of  man.  But  the  savage  is  still  in  us  and  respect  for  brute 
force  is  still  a  controling  power,  and  against  reason  and 
conscience  we  look  back  and  would  like  to  have  seen,  as  a 
spectator  at  least,  the  brave  daj-s  of  old,  when  each  man 
held  his  right  at  the  point  of  his  lance.  So  only  the  old 
city  comes  out  in  the  twilight  from  our  place  on  Calton  Hill. 
Bathed  in  the  moonlight  is  fair  Holyrood,  Was  that  a 
woman's  scream  from  the  tower  nearest  us?  Fair  Man- 
Stuart  has  a  supper  to-night  in  the  little  cabinet  off  her  bed- 
room; up  the  narrow  winding  stairway  from  Lord  Darnley's 
room  below,  creep  the  conspirators  and  Ruthven's  hands 
are  bloody  with  Rizzio's  blood.  There  is  a  riot  on  High 
street  where  the  Douglases  and  Haniiltons  struggle  for  the 
mastery;  keep  watc"h  your  sentries  on  the  castle  walls,  for 
Randolph  is  scaling  the  cliffs;  right  at  our  feet  there  is  a 
tournament  and  a  horseman  dashing  down  the  steep  hillside 
seems  to  win  favor  from  lovely  Mary  by  his  daring  deed. 
It  is  Bothwell  of  infamous  memory.  They  had  stormed  the 
Heart  of  Mid  Lothian  and  Jack  Porteous  is  carried  by  the 
mob  to  his  death  in  the  Grass  Market,  that  square  which 
has  so  often  run  with  blood  of  many  executions.  That 
window  high  up  in  the  castle  wall  looks  out  from  Queen 
Mary's  bed  chamber  where  the  young  James  Sixth  of  Scot- 
land, First  of  England,  was  born  and  let  down  in  a  basket 
by  the  beetling  cliff;  they  bear  him  away  to  Stirling  to 
protect  the  feeble  royal  life  just  begun.  Yonder  rises  St. 
Giles'  airy  crown  where  Jennie  Geddes  so  promptly  threw 
her  stool  and  knocked  the  Episcopal  liturgy  out  of  the 
Scottish  church.  Round  the  shoulder  of  Salisbury  Crag, 
still  stands  the  cottage  of  Jennie  Deans,  and  the  paving 
stones  formed  in  the  shape  of  a  heart,  marks  by  St.  Giles 
square  the  spot  where  the  old  Tolbooth  stood. 


266  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


A  FEW  DAYS  IN  HAVANA. 


BY  L.   MCK.    IN  CENSOR. 

MARCH  5th,  1886. 

Havana  is  a  quaint  old  city.  Several  of  our  fellow 
passengers  who  have  been  all  over  Europe,  declare  they 
found  more  of  novelty  in  Havana  than  in  any  of  the  cities 
they  visited  abroad.  It  is  even  more  Spanish  than  many  of 
the  cities  in  Spain,  and  clings  to  its  ancient  customs  and 
styles  with  religious  constancy.  The  whole  aspect  of  the 
city  reminds  one  of  oriental  scenery;  the  flat-roofed  buildings 
all  plastered  on  the  outside,  the  narrow  streets,  the  horses 
and  mules  bearing  immense  panniers  filled  with  tropical 
fruits,  and  the  lofty  palms  standing  out  so  still  against  the 
sky.  The  principal  business  streets,  Obispo,  O'Reilly  and 
Cuba,  in  fact  all  inside  the  ancient  wall,  are  only  about 
twenty  feet  wide,  barely  allowing  teams  to  pass  between  the 
sidewalks  which  are  only  wide  enough  for  one  person;  much 
of  the  way  awnings  are  stretched  from  one  side  of  the  street 
to  the  other.  All  kinds  of  business  are  conspicuously  public, 
whether  reputable  or  disreputable,  and  the  large  open  door- 
ways show  many  strange  sights.  The  Cuban  homes  on  the 
other  hand,  are  extremely  private,  and  a  great  building 
with  cracked  and  dingy  plastering  on  the  outside  may  be 
all  marble  floors  and  richly  frescoed  walls  within,  with 
galleries  around  the  central  court  where  the  signoras  and 
signoritas  lounge  in  their  light  draperies  and  dream  away 
the  day,  cooled  by  rippling  fountains  amid  the  luxuriant 
plants,  flowers  and  vines. 

Outside  the  old  city  wall  the  streets  are  wider  but  the 
same  style  of  buildings  continues,  the  hotels  and  public 
edifices  being  remarkable  for  their  very  high  ceilings 
and  great  arched  openings  and  halls  which  admit  the  refresh- 
ing breezes  to  the  central  court.  The  windows  have  shutters 


A    FEW   DAYS   IN   HAVANA.  267 

and  iron  bars,  but  no  sash  or  glass,  and  the  shutters  are 
generally  open. 

It  is  the  diurnal  sea  breezes  that  make  Havana  not  only 
tolerable  but  delightful.  Thermometer  may  mark  80  to  84 
from  12  to  3  p.  m.,  but  the  morning  and  evening  zephyrs, 
without  a  particle  of  chill,  so  soft  and  cool  and  refreshing, 
alone  would  make  life  a  delight  to  the  refugee  from  Lake 
Erie's  piercing  gales. 

For  sight  seeing  in  Havana,  the  first  day  you  are  entirely 
satisfied  to  sit  in  the  hotel  doorway  and  watch  the  passing 
specimens  of  Spaniards,  Cubans,  Negroes  and  Chinese,  with 
their  various  intermixtures,  the  great  carts  and  long  strings 
of  horses  and  mules,  laden  with  the  products  of  the  country, 
and  the  miserable  beggars  that  infest  every  street.  You 
will  be  surprised  to  see  so  many  working  people,  even 
Chinese,  riding  in  carriages,  and  when  you  find  how  cheap 
the  cab  hire  is  you  readily  decide  to  do  as  the  Cubans  do, 
and  quit  walking.  '  There  are  probably  2,500  of  the  little 
cabs  or  victorias  in  the  city,  each  drawn  by  one  horse,  and 
the  fixed  rate  for  either  one  or  two  persons  to  ride  anywhere 
in  the  limits  is  only  4  reals  in  paper  money — about  16  cents 
in  gold.  The  little  Cuban  horses  are  a  marvel,  so  smart 
and  tough.  Wherever  you  go,  you  have  only  to  wait  a 
few  minutes  before  a  victoria  will  come  along;  give  a  hiss, 
and  the  driver  turns  up  to  the  curb  stone,  and  you  and  your 
companion  can  ride  an  hour  for  60  cents  (our  money)  if  you 
wish. 

The  Cathedral  is  a  natural  place  to  seek  the  second  day, 
and  as  )rou  come  in  sight  of  the  weather  beaten  front  and 
gaze  up  at  the  verdigris  covered  bells,  you  can  well  believe 
in  its  antiquity.  The  building  was  begun  in  1656  and 
finished  in  1724.  The  venerable  Sacristan  takes  you  im- 
mediately around  through  the  chancel  and  there  in  the  wall 
are  said  to  be  sealed  the  bones  of  Columbus,  the  tablet 
bearing  an  appropriate  inscription  is  stately  Spanish  verse. 

There  seems  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  bones  of  the 
great  Admiral  were  deposited  here  in  1796,  brought  from 
San  Domingo  where  they  had  rested  since  1536.  He  died 


26S  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

in  Spain  only  30  years  before  his  remains  were  brought  to» 
San  Domingo.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  chancel  is  a 
little  oil  painting  of  a  company  of  soldiers  kneeling  before 
a  shrine,  dated  1473.  It  is  said  to  have  been  on  the  .ship 
with  Columbus  when  he  made  his  first  voyage  over  the 
unknown  sea  to  the  westward,  bound  as  he  supposed  for  the 
East  Indies,  But  the  vestments  of  the  priests  are  the  great 
sight  in  the  Cathedral,  especially  to  the  lady  visitors.  In 
the  robing  room  are  cases  of  great  drawers,  and  they  reveal 
such  wealth  of  silken  robes  embroidered  stiff  with  gold  and 
precious  stones  as  cannot  be  seen  elsewhere  on  the  western 
hemisphere.  Pearls,  rubies,  topaz,  sapphires  and  emeralds,, 
worked  in  the  beautiful  scrolls  of  golden  has  relief,  attest 
the  patience  and  skill  of  deft  fingers  in  old  Spain,  genera- 
tions ago. 

For  early  morning  walk,  visit  the  great  Tocan  Market,  an 
immense  building  occupying  a  whole  square.  Every 
vegetable  which  we  have  in  midsummer,  we  saw  in  pro- 
fusion there,  and  many  strange  tropical  productions  which 
we  never  saw  before.  The  great  carts  drawn  by  oxen  with 
the  yoke  strapped  to  the  horns,  come  in  piled  high  with  a 
ton  of  bananas,  and  the  long  strings  of  horses,  each  horse's 
halter  tied  to  the  tail  of  the  horse  ahead,  while  a  boy  on 
the  leading  horse  guides  the  line,  reveal  from  their  spreading 
panniers  such  golden,  sweet  oranges  as  we  never  eat  in  our 
latitude.  Pass  through  the  long  line  of  fish  stalls  and  see 
exquisite  hues  of  the  various  salt  water  fish  on  sale,  then 
glance  at  the  beef  and  poultry  counters,  and  you  will  admit 
that  here  is  an  epicure's  market. 

One  of  our  pleasantest  rides  was  out  to  the  Captain 
General's  summer  residence,  thence  to  the  cemetery,  and 
back  by  the  sea  shore.  The  large  garden  of  the  Capt. 
General  is  well  kept  and  comprises  every  tropical  tree  and 
shrub  and  flower  you  ever  heard  of.  By  the  roadside  our 
driver  kindly  picked  roses  and  oleanders  till  madame  had  a 
gay  bouquet.  In  the  old  cemetery  at  Havana,  the  remains 
were  all  deposited  endwise  in  the  wall,  the  tiers  of  openings 
resembling  a  long  line  of  pigeon  holes,  where  bodies  were 


A    FEW    DAYS    IN    HAVANA.  269 

filed  away  and  properly  labeled  awaiting  the  final  inventory. 
In  the  more  modern  enclosure  lots  are  purchased  and  each 
lot  covered  with  masonry  about  three  feet  high,  within 
which  the  coffins  are  deposited.  Many  beautiful  monu- 
ments of  imported  statuary  commemorate  the  bereavements 
of  wealthy  families.  A  Spanish  funeral  is  a  novel  sight  to 
the  American  visitor.  After  the  prayer  at  the  church,  or  at 
the  house,  only  the  men  take  the  body  to  the  grave.  We 
saw  several  long  processions  in  the  cemetery,  the  gentlemen 
evidently  of  good  station  in  life,  but  not  a  lady  present. 
There  is  no  ceremony  at  the  grave.  The  coffin  is  lowered 
into  the  brick  vault,  two  or  three  barrels  of  lime  poured 
over  it,  the  cover  of  the  opening  replaced,  and  all  return  to 
the  office  at  the  cemetery  gate,  where  the  mourners  stand 
upon  the  step  while  the  friends  pass  in  line  and  each  tenders 
his  condolence  with  a  grasp  of  the  hand.  Spaniards  are 
naturally  solemn  and  stately,  and  the  bearing  and  attire  of 
all  were  most  genteel  and  appropriate. 

The  ride  back  via  the  boulevard  which  skirts  the  blue 
waters  of  the  Mexican  Gulf,  may  be  excelled  somewhere 
along  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  but  to  one  from  a 
northern  clime  in  February,  the  soft  airs  from  over  the 
gently  rippling  strand,  children  playing  on  the  beach  in  all 
degrees  of  nudity,  the  sloops  and  ships  sailing  lazily  along 
outside,  and  the  wave  worn  walls  of  old  Morro  Castle  in  the 
distance,  presented  a  scene  sufficiently  enchanting  to  make 
him  long  for  the  artist's  gift  and  brush. 

We  realized  the  evenness  of  the  climate  more  when  we 
visited  a  printing  office.  There  was  an  open  court  with  a 
large  tree  in  the  center,  on  one  side  was  the  press  room, 
another  side  the  compositors  were  at  work,  and  the  editor's 
sanctum  and  counting  room  where  he  could  look  across  the 
open  space  and  see  all  that  was  going  on.  Columns  sup- 
ported the  roof,  but  there  were  no  partitions  or  windows, 
and  the  work  is  practically  done  out  of  doors.  The  printing 
material  is  all  brought  from  the  States  and  the  Hoe  presses 
were  very  good.  We  are  under  many  obligations  to  the 


2 JO  EDITORIAL  MISCEIX ANTES'. 

proprietor,.  Mr.  Spencer,  for  our  very  pleasant  and  interest- 
ing visit  to  his  establishment.  His  father  was  an  Americans 
from  Baltimore, 

Here  let  us  remark  that  whatever  drawback  there  may  be 
to  Spanish  ways  and  character,  the  treatment  thej^  accord  to* 
strangers  is  very  gratifying.  If  you  wish  to  inquire  }*our 
way,  or  obtain  any  information,  any  Spanish  gentleman  you 
meet  will  stop  and  often  go  quite  a  distance  with  you  to  put 
you  right.  They  are  very  polite  people/  and  life  runs  with 
very  little  friction;:  disorder,  violence  and  intoxication  being 
rarely  seen.  Bandits  and  pick-pockets  are  said  to  be  plenty, 
and  the  general  state  of  morals  very  low  in  Havana,  but 
they  make  very  little  disturbance  about  it. 

Among  other  places  of  interest  in  Havana  do  not  forget 
the  Casino  Espanol,  a  large  club  house  occupying  a  whole 
square.  It  has  2,500  members;  the  rooms  are  adorned  with 
paintings  of  Spanish  history,  and  include  a  school  for 
fencing  and  a  school  where  drawing,  languages,  book-keep- 
ing etc.,  are  taught.  The  kind  politeness  wTith  which  we 
were  shown  through  the  building  was  very  agreeable. 

The  Plaza  de  Armas  is  a  pleasant  square  adorned  with 
flower  gardens,  on  one  side  the  Captain  General's  palace,  on 
the  opposite  a  little  chapel  which  marks  the  spot  where 
Columbus  celebrated  the  first  Mass  on  the  island,  in  1519. 
Once  a  year  on  the  anniversary  day  this  chapel  is  opened 
and  the  historic  mass  repeated. 

Our  hotel  party  made  an  assault  on  MOTTO  castle  but  did 
not  get  in.  Spain  is  strengthing  all  her  fortifications  since 
the  trouble  with  Germany  over  the  Caroline  islands,  and 
fears  that  We  might  have  among  us  a  German  spy  in  dis- 
guise, kept  us  out.  There  is  not  much  to  be  seen  there 
except  the  splendid  'view  from  the  walls,  but  we  afterwards 
had  its  counterpart  from  the  heights  of  Cabinas.  There  is 
a  part  of  Morro  castle  which  is  of  tragic  interest,  but  no 
visitor  ever  sees  it.  Way  down  beneath  the  fort  are 
dungeons  hewn  out  of  solid  rock,  where  prisoners  are  con- 
fined to  wear  away  their  lives.  Political  prisoners  from 


A   PEW  DAYS   IX  HAVANA.  27! 

Spain  are  brought  here,  known  simply  by  a  number,  and 
there  within  hearing  of  the  waves  of  the  beautiful  bay,  but 
forever  shut  out  from  human  intercourse,  even  the  bright 
sunlight  denied  them,  they  die  in  despair,  their  identity 
unknown  even  to  their  jailors. 

Separating  the  old  part  of  the  city  from  the  new  is  the 
broad  Prado,  a  park  three  miles  long  and  bordered  with 
India  Laurel,  a  nice  evergreen  tree  with  leaves  similar  to 
our  blue  plum  trees.  The  Prado  is  brilliantly  lighted  with 
gas  lamps  (for  some  reason  the  electric  light  does  not  take 
here )  and  in  the  Parque  Central  the  band  plays  two  even- 
ings in  the  week.  It  is  a  good  place  to  see  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  the  city,  as  many  drive  up  to  the  curb  stone 
and  sit  there  in  their  carriages  to  listen  to  the  band  and 
greet  their  friends.  The  ladies  dress  in  excellent  taste,  have 
rich  dark  eyes  such  as  poets  write  about  and  artists  love  to 
paint,  and  shade  their  faces  with  a  Spanish  lace  scarf  very 
gracefully,  but  they  are  not  often  beautiful  in  feature  and 
have  a  listless,  languid  way  as  if  life  had  very  little  interest 
for  them.  The  gentlemen^  average  far  better  looking. 

We  parted  from  all  our  hotel  friends  with  regret,  and  yet 
it  seemed  mighty  good  when  we  boarded  the  Saratoga* 
After  a  ship  has  been  your  habitation  for  even  a  few  days  of 
storm  and  sunshine  you  acquire  a  sort  of  home  feeling  which 
the  hearty  greeting  of  the  officers  does  not  diminish. 

The  lighters  were  busy  coming  to  and  going  from  the 
ship  when  we  went  aboard  Thursday  afternoon,  and  as  the 
lightermen  passed  in  the  bales  of  tobacco  they  sang  out  the 
numbers,  "Una,  dos,  tres,  cuatro,  cinco — talle,"  till  about 
eight  o'clock.  Meanwhile  the  sun  had  set  behind  the  city, 
and  we  had  taken  a  last  look  at  the  ancient  Cathedral 
towers,  church  spires,  and  oriental  battlements  that 
surmount  the  lofty  roofs,  saw  the  fronds  of  the  great  palms 
imprinted  against  the  sky,  heard  the  great  gun  from  Morro 
castle  above  the  roar  of  the  carts  and  victorias  on  the  rough 
pavements,  noted  the  crimson  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  and 
then  in  five  minutes  it  was  dark.  No  twilight  in  the  tropics. 
But  the  lights  of  the  great  steamers  and  ships  at  anchor, 


272  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

and  those  which  encircle  the  city  like  a  coronet,  came  out  as 
suddenly  as  the  sunlight  had  disappeared,  and  we  steamed 
out  of  the  harbor  in  water  so  still  that  the1  stars  and  lights 
in  the  depths  below  pictured  a  nether  world  as  beautiful  as 
that  above.  "Now  watch  for  the  Prado,"  said  pilot  Brown 
and  in  a  few  moments  we  were  looking  the  length  of  its 
miles  of  lights  and  walks  and  trees,  up  to  where  the  Tacon 
theater,  the  L,ouvre  and  hotel  Inglaterra  shine  out  upon  the 
Parque  Central,  all  thronged  with  the  life  and  gayety  of  a 
people  blessed  with  perpetual  summer.  Why  shouldn't 
they  be  good  natured,  with  never  a  stove  to  lift  in  or  a  stove 
pipe  to  swear  at?  "That  is  always  my  farewell  look  at 
Havana,"  said  Mr.  Brown  as  he  turned  away,  but  most  of 
the  passengers  remained  on  deck  till  the  long  line  .of 
twinkling  lights  which  border  the  sea  shore  drive  had  dis- 
appeared, and  only  the  great  light  upon  Morro  remained  to 
indicate  the  location  of  the  lovely  Isle  of  Cuba.  With  a 
free  government  and  American  population,  what  a  paradise 
it  would  be. 


VISIT    TO     A    SUGAR    PLANTATION,    WITH    A    FEW    PRELIMI- 
NARIES— A  HAVANESE   SUNDAY — HIGH  MASS — 
COCK  FIGHTS  AND  BULL  FIGHTS. 

It  seems  superfluous  to  mention  that  it  was  a  fine  day,  for 
all  days  are  fine  in  Cuba  except  in  the  rain}7  season,  which 
principally  holds  sway  in  October  and  November,  and  to 
some  extent  in  April.  The  other  nine  4months  .  of  the  year 
you  are  greeted  each  morning  with  the  same  soft  sky  and 
fleecy  clouds  and  gentle  breeze,  and  after  four  o'clock  the 
breeze  again.  Even  in  the  middle  of  the  day  the  mercury 
will  not  reach  90,  but  it  is  better  not  to  walk  much  in  the 
sun.  We  were  told  that  there  had  been  no  rain  for  four 
weeks  prior  to  our  visit,  yet  the  grass  in  the  park  was  green 
and  neither  trees  or  vegetation  anywhere  presented  a  parch- 
ed appearance.  This  is  because  of  the  very  heavy  dews 
that  lall  before  morning,  often  so  they  drip  from  the 
awnings.  What  a  comfort  to  never  hear  the  weather 


A   FEW   DAYS   IN   HAVANA. 

mentioned,  nor  be  greeted  with  the  idiotic  question:  "Is 
this  cold  (or  hot)  enough  for  you?"  At  home  it  seems 
sometimes  as  if  half  our  conversation  were  wasted  in  weather 
talk.  Even- bod}-  here  assumes  and  expects  a  fine  day,  and 
nobody  takes  cold,  and  hence  on  that  one  topic  each  Cuban 
saves  breath  enough  to  run  an  auction.  So  please  pardon 
the  digression  and  consider  that  every  day  was  a  fine  one. 
including  Saturday,  February  27,  when  we  set  out  fof 
Marianao  to  visit  the  sugar  plantation  '  'Toledo. ' ' 

Perhaps  this  is  a  good  place  to  mention  the  Cuban  meal 
customs.  Coming  down  stairs  any  time  from  6  till  8  in  the 
morning,  you  will  find  the  long  table  set  with  plates  and 
coffee  cups,  bread  and  oranges.  Everybody  eats  oranges 
and  their  great  abundance  does  not  diminish  the  Cuban 
appetite  for  the  delicious  fruit.  They  simply  cut  off  the  top 
a  little  way  down,  across  the  grain,  and  then  suck  out  the 
pulp.  We  get  no  such  oranges  north  as  these  picked  ripe 
from  the  trees.  After  oranges,  coffee  and  bread,  and  then 
wait  till  ten  o'clock  for  breakfast.  Before  breakfast  is  a 
nice  time  to  take  a  ride  or  do  shopping,  and  you  will  see 
the  Cuban  ladies  in  their  carriages  before  all  the  stores> 
examining  goods.  The}'  never  get  out  of  the  carriage,  but 
have  the  goods  brought  out  to  them.  Breakfast  is  a  good 
square  meal,  oranges,  eggs,  fish,  meats  fried,  stewed  and 
roasted,  coffee,  guava  jell}-,  and  pine  apple.  Dinner  comes 
at  5  and  is  a  full  course  meal  from  soups  to  cheese.  Some 
of  tlje  Spanish  dishes  we  did  not  like — too  much  garlic — but 
the  meats,  fish  and  fruits  were  very  fine.  This  will 
explain  why  starting  right  after  breakfast  did  not  mean  a 
very  early  start.  In  fact  it  was  after  eleven  o'clock  when 
our  pleasant  party,  all  of  them  fellow  passengers  on  the 
Saratoga,  took  cabs  for  the  R.  R.  station.  On  the  road  we 
passed  the  last  of  the  morning  milk  peddlers  driving  his 
cows  home — not  to  be  milked  but  to  be  replenished.  Much 
of  the  peddling  of  milk  and  vegetables  in  Havana,  is  done 
from  an  old  horse,  the  spreading  pannier  loaded  with  either 
milk  cans  or  garden  truck  as  the  case  may  be,  but  the  best 
milk  is  drawn  from  the  cows  in  front  of  the  customer's  door, 


274  EDITORIAL  .MISCELLANIES. 

and  all  the  morning,  on  every  street,  may  be  seen  these 
droves  of  cows  followed  by  their  calves  muzzled,  sedately 
walking  along  among  the  rattling  carts  and  carriages,  and 
stopping  at  the  proper  places  to  be  milked.  A  northern 
farmer  would  say  that  the  cows  would  soon  dry  up  in  that 
kind  of  service,  but  they  look  well  and  we  were  told  give 
good  yield  of  milk.  As  each  customer  sends  out  his  own 
milk  dish,  and  the  servant  stands  and  watches  the  operation 
of  filling  it  direct  from  the  udder,  it  is  a  dead  shut  on  water, 
chalk  or  any  other  adulteration. 

The  railroad  to  Marianao  passes  through  a  beautiful 
country,  the  soil  all  rich  and  tillable,  cattle  fine,  and  except 
for  the  strange  foliage,  especially  of  the  palms,  one  might 
think  he  was  gazing  over  any  gently  rolling  farm  country 
north.  The  carriage  ride  to  the  plantation  was  equally 
pleasant  over  the  smooth  macadam  road,  past  some  fine 
country  homes,  all  in  the  Cuban  style  of  architecture  already 
described.  Soon  we  were  among  the  immense  cane  fields, 
the  road  bordered  with  bananas,  and  occasionally  a  cocoanut 
palm.  The  "Toledo"  sugar  mill  has  very  fine  machinery, 
all  made  in  the  United  States.  The  .  large  boilers  are  fed 
with  the  crushed  cane,  which  supplies  steam  enough  for  the 
engine  and  for  boiling.  The  great  carts  are  unloaded 
alongside  the  long  carrying  belt  which  is  about  six  feet 
wide  and  conveys  the  cane  to  the  great  crushing  rolls. 
Thence  the  crushed  cane  is  conveyed  to  another  set  of  rolls 
for  a  second  squeeze  which  has  been  found  to  yield  a 
profitable  amount  of  additional  juice?  It  is  a  hot  place 
where  the  long  rows  of  vats  are  bubbling  and  frothing,  but 
all  the  conditions  are  nicely  adjusted  and  when  the  cooler 
syrup  is  found  at  the  end  of  the  building,  it  is  ready  to 
"sugar  off. "  The  latter  process  is  accomplished  by  means 
of  centrifugals  which  whirl  the  liquid  sugar  into  crystals  in 
short  order.  The  whole  makes  a  busy  scene,  some  350 
negroes  being  engaged  at  the  mill  and  in  the  fields.  All 
are  now  free  except  about  ten  per  cent,  who  will  be  free  in 
the  next  two  years.  Regular  hours  are  worked  and  fair 
wages  paid;  and  to  the  credit  of  Spanish  laws  it  may  be 


A    FEW   DAYS   IN    HAVANA.  275 

said  that  the  cruelties  formerly  practiced  are  now  unknown. 
The  refuse  molasses  is  distilled  into  mm,  and  all  the  opera- 
tions are  conducted  with  economy  and  skill.  The  cane  now 
being  gathered  is  very  fine.  It  was  planted  last  May; 
grinding  began  about  February  ist,  and  will  be  over  in 
April.  Immense  fortunes  have  been  made  at  the  business, 
but  the  government  taxes,  U.  S.  duties  and  freight  charges 
bring  the  price  realized  by  the  producer  down  to  about  three 
cents  per  pound,  and  with  the  large  production  of  beet 
sugar  in  Europe  the  outlook  is  not  promising.  The  Cuban 
rebellion  which  lasted  some  ten  years,  devastated  a  large 
portion  of  the  island,  and  of  course  the  business  of  handling 
the  product  at  Havana  is  diminished  accordingly.  But  for 
the  immense  cigar  industry,  the  250,000  inhabitants  in  that 
city  would  hardly  keep  alive  these  days.  The  fact  that 
every  Havana  cigar  that  can  be  made,  finds  a  ready  market, 
makes  them  independent  of  the  sugar  business,  but  there 
are  no  such  flush  times  as  when  this  business  was  equally 
flourishing.  To  hear  the  Havanese  describe  how  things 
were  "before  the  war"  reminds  one  of  the  prevailing  lament 
in  our  own  southern  states. 

From  Toledo  sugar  plantation  a  delightful  drive  of  five 
miles  took  us  to  a  pine  apple  grove.  This  designation  led 
us  to  look  for  the  pine  apples  on  trees,  but  they  don't  grow- 
that  way.  The  plant  consists  of  a  bunch  of  dagger  shaped, 
sharp  edged  leaves  radiating  from  the  root,  occupying  some 
1 8  inches  space  when  ready  to  produce  fruit.  The  apple 
grows  from  an  upright  stalk  in  the  center  not  over  a  foot 
above  the  ground,  and  the  blossom  is  a  handsome  scarlet 
and  pink  flower.  The  large  field  was  neatly  tilled  and  set 
with  plants  at  different  times  so  as  to  have  a  continuous 
crop. 

But  Sunday  is  the  great  day  in  Havana — High  Mass  in 
the  morning,  cock  fights  all  day,  bull  fight  in  the  afternoon 
and  opera  in  the  evening.  We  attended  mass  in  the 
beautiful  church  La  Merced  and  also  in  the  old  cathedral. 
There  was  not  a  large  audience  in  either,  but  they  were 
strangely  mixed,  all  races  and  colors.  There  seems  to  be 


11 6  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

no  particular  prejudice  against  colored  people  here,  though: 
class  distinctions  are  rigidly  maintained.  In  Catholic' 
churches-  we  see  all  classes  mingling  and  kneeling  together,, 
and  the  varieties  of  garb  are  frequently  picturesque.  One 
fairly  dressed  workingman  came  into  the  Merced  leading  a 
little  three  year  old  curly  headed  boy  with  nothing  on  him 
but  a  cotton  shirt,  and  that  garment  rather  scant.  Not 
much  trouble  to  dress  children  in  this  climate,  black  ones  of 
considerable  size  being  frequently  seen  without  a  rag  on.. 
The  organ  and  choir  at  La  Merced  were  very  fine. 

At  the  cathedral  the  Bishop  and  all  the  priests  and  choir 
boys  enter  in  a  grand  procession,  the  Bishop  walking  under 
a  canopy  upheld  by  six  young  men.  To  many  the  various 
genuflections,  intonations  and  crossings  seem  ridiculous,  but 
they  are  only  the  full  development  of  the  tendencies  of  all 
sects  with  age.  Even  our  own  evangelical  churches  in 
many  places  read  responses,  celebrate  Christmas  and  Easter, 
and  sing  chants,  and  who  can  tell  what  they  will  come  to  a 
thousand  years  hence  ? 

THE  COCK  FIGHT  AND  BULL  FIGHT. 

We  will  let  our  Boston  friend  tell  about  the  subsequent 
Sunday  amusements  because  he  seemed  to  take  it  all  in  and 
get  it  down  so  exact  on  his  little  note  book.  Mr.  B.  of  Boston 
is  a  middle  aged  gentleman,  very  deliberate  and  methodical, 
reminding  us  of  our  former  townsman  Bailey.  You  can't 
learn  such  men  in  a  minute,  but  they  bear  acquaintance 
well,  and  the  more  we  all  knew  Mr.  B.  the  better  we  liked 
him.  Before  coming  he  read  all  about  Cuba  and  noted  it 
all  down,  so  that  when  he  arrived  he  could  say,  "I've  got  a 
little  list,  and  nothing  shall  be  missed."  At  night  he 
checked  off  the  list  so  far  as  he  had  seen,  and  entered  any 
fiew  items  he  heard  of,  and  he  stayed  until  his  book  was  all 
checked  out.  Therefore  the  following  account  from  him 
may  be  relied  upon  as  critically  exact: 

'  'This  way  of  spending  the  Sabbath  goes  dead  against  the 
grain  of  my  bringing  up,"  said  Mr.  B.,  "but  the  cock  fight 
and  bull  fight  were  both  on  my  list,  and  I  was  bound  to  see 


A    FEW   DAYS    IN    HAVANA.  277 

out  the  program.  I  went  to  the  rooster  performance  first. 
Imagine  a  circular  pavillion  about  30  feet  across,  surrounded 
by  rough  seats  from  the  ten  foot  ring  or  pit  in  the  center, 
receding  to  the  roof.  I  should  estimate  there  were  250  men 
and  boys,  all  colors,  in  and  around  there,  and  such  a  din 
you  never  heard  in  all  your  life.  The  cocks  were  a  peculiar 
breed  with  light  wings  and  various  body  colors,  their  heads 
and  necks  bare  of  feathers  and  fire  red — not  a  pretty  bird  to 
look  at.  After  weighing  to  see  that  one  bird  was  not 
heavier  than  the  other,  the  owners  carried  them  around  the 
ring  for  inspection  and  offered  to  bet,  but  the  confusion 
began  with  the  fight.  I  saw  nothing  more  exciting  about 
the  fight  than  I  have  seen  at  similiar  encounters  in  our  old 
barn  yard.  The  fowls  fought  courageously,  but  they  were 
young,  had  on  no  metal  spurs,  and  the  blood  did  not  show 
on  their  red  necks.  But  the  way  their  trainers  followed 
them  around  the  ring,  down  on  all  fours,  making  all  sorts 
of  gestures,  and  yelling  their  bets,  was  funny  enough.  Then 
nearly  every  man  on  the  seats  was  yelling  what  he  wanted 
to  do,  shaking  his  digits  and  rushing  from  one  backer  to 
another,  till  the  confusion  was  equal  to  that  in  the  New 
York  stock  exchange  during  a  panic.  I  was  told  that  large 
bets  are  often  made  at  these  cock  fights;  no  money  is  put 
up,  but  all  go  around  and  settle  as  soon  as  the  fight  is  over, 
and  I  witnessed  no  disputes.  There  was  an  intermission  of 
about  ten  minutes  between  the  fights,  during  which  bets 
were  settled,  oranges  eaten,  fresh  birds  weighed  and  passed 
around,  and  new  wagers  taken. 

'  'Once  in  a  while  a  rooster  would  run  around  the  ring 
pursued  by  the  other,  and  many  would  bet  against  the  fugi- 
tive, when  suddenly  that  rooster  would  turn  and  knock  out 
his  pursuer  in  a  few  passes.  I  learn  that  such  roosters  or 
4  'wheelers' '  are  trained  to  do  this — to  run  when  the  trainer 
makes  a  certain  motion  and  attack  on  signal,  and  it  is 
generally  safer  to  bet  on  the  "wheeler."  As  the  fight 
approaches  the  close,  large  odds  are  offered  on  the  winning 
bird,  which  will  be  accepted  because  the  honors  of  the  battle 
sometimes  shift  at  the  last  moment,  by  a  lucky  stroke  on  the 


278"  EBrrbKiAL  MISCELLANIES: 

part  of  the  one'  apparently  beaten.  The  birds  are  generally 
ready  for  another  fight  in  a  few  days.  I  am  convinced  that 
the  betting  is  the  chief  attraction  rather  than  the  spectacle,, 
and  the  Cuban  who  has  yelled  himself  hoarse  all  day  and 
goes  home  with:  a  few  extra  pesos  in  his  pocket,  no  doubt 
feels  as  well  as  some  of  your  New  York  brokers  who  whoop' 
and  run  from  one  stock  to  another  on  the  floor  of  the  ex- 
change,, and  finally  get  off  a  hundred  shares  at  an  eighth  of 
one  per  cent,  profit.  I  don't  believe,  however,  that  a 
northern  crowd  could  be  roused  to  such  a  pitch  of  excite- 
ment over  a  couple  of  roosters. 

'"'There  was  more  style  about  the  bulf  fight.  In  fact  it  is 
a  state  occasion.  The  Captain  General  of  the  island  ap- 
points one  of  the  district  Governors  to  attend  and  preside,, 
and  the  whole  performance  is  under  his  control.  When  he 
enters  his  box  with  its  insignia  of  royalty,  the  crowd  all. 
cheer,  and  when  the  procession  of  torreros,  banderilleros,. 
picadores  and  matadors  come  in,  they  halt  before  him  and. 
have  quite  a  little  ceremony  of  asking  permission  to  let  out 
the  bulls.  I  could  but  notice  the  extravagance  of  these 
people  in  their  amusements.  They  say  it  is  hard  times  in 
Cuba,  but  although  one  could  save  a  dollar  in  gold  by 
sitting  on  the  sunny  side  of  the  bull  ring  and  holding  an 
umbrella,  there  were  very  few  on  that  side.  The  shady 
side  was  packed  with  2,000  to  3,000  people,  and  in  the 
boxes  which  formed  the  upper  tier  I  saw  a  number  of 
American  ladies,  but  mighty  few  Spanish  women,  and  their 
presence  indicated  their  reputation, 

"Of  course  the  President  gave  his  consent,  and  out  came 
the  bull,  a  big  horned  Mexican.  I  have  heard  that  they 
don't  give  the  bull  any  chance,  but  I  must  say  I  wouldn't 
like  to  stand  where  some  of  those  torreros  did  and  shake  a 
blanket  while  the  bull  charged  at  it.  Many  a  time  the 
sharp  horns  would  just  pass  the  fellow's  leg  as  he  stepped 
to  one  side.  Then  the  banderilleros.  How  in  the  world 
they  can  stand  and  reach  over  the  bull's  horns  as  he  charges 
head  down,  stick  the  barbs  firmly  in  the  animal's  shoulders 
and  still  jump  clear  of  the  horns,  is  a  mystery  to  me.  They 


A    FKW    DAYS    IX    HAVANA.  V^ 

tried  to  get  the  bull  to  charge  the  horses,  but  I  was  glad 
they  did  not  succeed.  True,  the  horses  were  so  old  and 
poor  that  it  would  be  a  niercy  to  kill  them,  but  I  cannot 
understand  the  desire  to  see  them  gored  to  death.  The 
.President  had  a  bugler  in  front  of  his  box,  and  when  he 
•wanted  the  banderilleros  to  come  forward  he  had  the  signal 
•given,  also  when  the  bull  was  to  be  killed.  When  the  latter 
.-signal  sounded  the  Matador  stood  out  in  the  ring  facing 
the  President's  box,  took  off  his  hat  and  gracefully  asked 
the  privilege  of  killing  the  bull.  Once  this  afternoon  a 
young  Spaniard  stepped  in  from  the  audience  and  asked  the 
privilege  (it  is  considered  a  great  honor  if  successfully  ac- 
complished by  an  amateur  and  I  understand  it  is  sometimes 
granted  to  a  young  fellow  who  appears  pretty  smart)  but 
the  crowd  saw  he  was  intoxicated  and  shouted  No  !  No  !  so 
the  Matador  did  it. 

"How  was  the  bull  killed?  Well,  the  whole  troupe  were 
fine  looking,  muscular  men  from  Andalusia  in  Spain,  and 
the  Matadors  were  the  princes  of  the  part}-.  As  one  stepped 
out  to  meet  the  bull  pawing  across  the  ring,  enraged  by 
darts  and  barbs,  he  carried  in  his  right  hand  a  sharp  pointed, 
slender  sword  about  two  feet  and  a  half  long,  in  the  other 
"hand  a  red  banner  about  two  feet  square.  Then  he  began  play  •- 
ing  with  the  bull,  holding  the  red  flag  first  one  side  and  then 
the  other,  and  jumping  just  out  of  the  way  as  the  sharp 
horns  struck  it;  the  fatal  stroke  followed  in  an  instant.  The 
Matador  is  not  allowed  to  stab  the  bull  except  standing  in 
front,  and  it  is  really  a  scientific  thrust.  As  the  bull  charges 
full  upon  him,  head  down,  he  inserts  the  point  of  his  rapier 
in  the  side  of  its  neck  just  forward  of  the  shoulder,  pushes 
it  down,  down,  till  it  reaches  the  heart,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  "el  toros"  is  dead.  Then  the  mules  are  brought  in 
and  drag  the  victim  out  with  a  burst  of  music  from  the 
band,  and  shouts  from  the  multitude.  There  is  no  inter1 
mission;  a  fresh  bull  comes  prancing  in  immediately. 

•  All  through  the  performance  the  crowd  was  shouting  at 
the  fighters,  complimenting  them  on  a  skillful  attack  and 
escape,  and  jeering  at  them  when  they  were  awkward  of 


280  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

timid,  in  language  that  was  not  very  nice  our  interpreter 
said.  All  sorts  of  advice  is  also  given  the  Matador,  and 
"Ahora  !  Ahora  !  "  (now  !  now  !)  is  yelled  at  him  when 
they  think  the  time  has  come  to  make  his  thrust,  but  he  is 
a  mighty  cool  individual  and  chooses  his  own  time.  Five 
bulls  were  killed  this  afternoon  in  the  manner  I  have 
described.  It  was  not  regarded  as  a  first  class  exhibition 
because  the  bulls  were  tired  from  their  voyage,  but  the)r 
were  fiercer  than  I  should  care  to  approach  with  anything 
less  than  a  rifled  cannon. 

"I  am  told  that  the  secret  of  the  profession  is  in  learning 
the  ways  of  the  animal.  That  a  bull  in  charging  tosses  his 
head  one  side  or  the  other  as  he  strikes  the  object,  and  he 
indicates  which  way  he  will  throw  his  head  b)-  the  position 
of  his  ears.  An  enraged  cow,  they  say,  is  much  more 
formidable  because  she  throws  her  head  both  ways  and  has 
no  method  in  her  madness.  I  don't  know  how  reliable 
this  information  is,  but  I  do  know  the  agile  fellows  always 
jumped  the  right  way  and  just  at  the  right  time. 

'  'Was  I  horrified  ?  No.  Perhaps  because  I  was  fairly 
braced  up  in  expectation  of  being  shocked,  but  really  I  was 
mostly  absorbed  in  noting  the  skill  of  the  performers.  As 
for  blood,  it  was  not  a  circumstance  to  the  Chicago  stock 
yards.  There  you  see  cattle  knocked  down,  hauled  up  by 
the  heels,  throats  cut,  skinned,  disemboweled  and  quartered 
before  they  have  time  to  die,  at  the  rate  of  three  a  minute, 
the  atmosphere  sickening  with  fumes  of  blood  and  the  half 
naked  butchers  working  like  demons  of  slaughter.  That's 
what  I  call  horrifying.  Perhaps  I  am  not  a  fair  critic, 
however.  The  fact  is  I  hate  bulls.  Was  chased  by  one 
once  and  thought  all  the  afternoon  how  thankful  I  would 
have  been  if  these  Spaniards  had  happened  along  with  their 
blankets  and  banderilleros  and  supple  swords. 

"I  filled  out  my  Sunday,"  continued   our  Boston   friend, 
who  was  now  warming  up   in  the  recital  of  his  experience, 
"by  attending  the  opera — L,a  Favorita — in   the  evening.     I- 
concluded   this   Sunday    was   so  utterly   desecrated  that    I 


A   FEW   DAYS    IN   HAVANA. 

Couldn't  break  it  any  more  and  I  would  take  it  in.  The 
Tacon  is  a  large  building,  with  five  tiers  of  boxes,  and  will 
seat  3000  people.  The  singing  was  by  amateurs,  some  of  it 
very  good,  and  they  fairly  loaded  the  prima  donna  with 
flowers,  gold  and  silver  presents  and  testimonials.  I  went 
to  see  the  Spanish  ladies.  Not  many  pretty  ones.  They 
throw  on  face  powder  by  the  handful,  but  dress  exquisitely 
and  wear  magnificent  jewels. 

•"Do  I  like  Sundays  spent  this  way?  No,  indeed! 
Vividly  and  often  amid  the  din  of  the  cock  fights  and  the 
shouts  around  the  bull  ring,  came  the  thought  to  me  of  the 
contrast  presented  in  our  quiet  northern  home.  Our  neatly 
dressed  neighbors  walking  to  church  at  the  call  of  the 
chiming  bells,  the  pleasant  family  gatherings,  or  quiet  visits 
with  friends,  the  hour  with  a  favorite  author,  and  the  little 
stroll  or  ride  towards  twilight.  Such  a  Sunday  humanizes, 
elevates  and  glorifies  a  people.  These  Spanish  Sundays 
have  much  to  do  with  making  the  people  what  they  are, 
subjects  of  oppression,  regarded  by  their  rulers  as  fit  only  to 
be  taxed  and  amused.  I  was  thankful  as  never  before  for 
my  Puritan  ancestry.  No  matter  if  in  some  respects  our 
religion  is  cold  and  unsentimental,  there  is  the  school  house, 
the  Sunday  School  and  the  home,  and  from  these  emanate 
the  influences  that  tend  to  civilize  the  race  and  make  the 
world  fit  to  live  in.  Yes,  gentlemen,  thank  God  that  you 
belong  to  the  Anglo  Saxon  race,  which  includes  all  the 
aggressive  and  progressive  powers  of  the  age,  and  whose 
hands  alone  uphold  the  banners  of  liberty  wherever  they 
float  on  the  surface  of  the  globe. ' ' 

\Ve  all  responded  "Amen,  Boston  .'"  and  thus   ended  our 
first  and  last  Sunday  in  Havana. 


282  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


IN  SOUTHERN  ITALY. 


NAPLES  AND  ITS  BAY — VISIT  TO  'POMPEII — HERCULANEUM 
AND  MT.  VESUVIUS — A  LOOK  AT  GARIBALDI. 


NAPLES,  Italy,  March  26th,  1875. 

Naples  is  called  "the  star  of  Italy,"  and  I  am  sure  you 
would  think  it  rightly  named  if  you  could  see  the  view 
which  meets  our  eyes  this  bright,  beautiful  morning. 
Diamonds  are  not  warm  or  brilliant  enough  to  compare  with 
the  sparkling  waters  of  this  lovely  Bay ;  while  to  say  the 
scene  is  like  a  picture,  would  give  you  no  idea  of  it  what- 
ever. Away  to  the  south  is  the  Island  of  Capri,  which 
looks  like  a  bank  of  purple  clouds  against  the  horizon, 
while  the  two  points  of  main  land  which  guard  the  entrance 
of  the  harbor  seem  to  be  reaching  out  to  join  it.  In  the 
evening  when  the  countless  lights  on  the  shore  make  a 
golden  border  for  the  silvery  sheet  of  water,  and  the  little 
boats  of  the  fishermen  are  passing  to  and  fro  past  the  old 
castle  which  stands  way  out  in  the  water  like  a  stern 
sentinel,  the  bay  seems  to  be  worthy  of  a  whole  constellation 
instead  of  one  little  star. 

Back  of  the  Bay  and  the  city  rise  the  bluffs,  while  on  the 
left  is  Mt.  Vesuvius,  puffing  out  his  dark  clouds  of  smoke 
as  if  by  fiery  contrast  to  enhance  the  peaceful  scenes  below. 
This  is  the  first  place  in  Italy  where  I  have  realized  the 
truth  of  the  poet's  ravings  over  this  "sunny  clime,"  or  the 
artist's  dreams  of  perfect  bliss  in  a  land  of  music  and  beauty. 
The  people  are  noted  for  their  love  of  sunshine,  and  I  think 
they  stay  out  in  it  all  day,  and,  indeed,  but  few  of  them 
seem  to  have  anything  else  to  do.  The  poorer  classes 
perform  most  of  their  domestic  duties,  as  well  as  their 
toilets,  out  by  the  front  door,  which  is  a  very  sociable  way 
of  getting  along.  They  can  talk  about  their  neighbor's 


IN   SOUTHERN    ITALY.  283 

affairs  and  do  their  washing,  or  arran  ge  their  hair,  at  the 
same  time,  and  thus  enjoy  all  the  privileges  of  a  modern  tea 
party  without  leaving  home.  I  am  sorry  to  detract  from 
my  enthusiasm  over  the  beauties  of  the  situation  of  Naples, 
etc.,  by  stating  that  it  is  the  dirtiest  place  I  have  yet  been 
in;  but  such  is  the  sad  ^uth.  Nature  has  done  so  much 
and  man  so  little,  though  I  think  in  time  it  will  be  improved 
like  the  rest  of  the  Italian  cities,  as  their  government 
increases  in  strength  and  stability.  There  seems  to  be  so 
much  poverty  here  among  the  people,  and  you  long  for 
bags  full  of  sous  to  distribute  to  the  miserable  looking 
objects  that  are  constantly  appealing  to  you  for  alms.  That 
is,  at  first  you  feel  sorry  for  them,  but  after  you  have  been 
among  them  a  while  and  find  that  they  make  begging  a 
profession,  you  -lose  your  sympathy  and  your  temper  with 
it.  A  shake  of  the  head  or  a  cross  look  does  not  discourage 
an  Italian  beggar  in  the  least,  and  a  party  of  six  or  seven 
children  will  follow  your  carriage  for  hah  an  hour,  crying 
all  the  time  for  one  sou  to  buy  maccaroni  with,  because  they 
are  dying  of  hungej.  The  very  fact  of  their  living  out  of 
doors  so  much  makes  their  misery  all  the  more  noticeable, 
as  you  see  the  worst  side  of  it  at  the  first  glance  without 
having  to  enter  the  dwellings. 

I  was  going  to  tell  you  about  a  ride  we  enjoyed  the  other 
day,  when  I  began,  but  I  wandered  off  on  to  that  beggarly 
subject  very  naturally,  as  we  were  all  the  time  surrounded 
by  them.  We  went  to  Baiae,  a  place  about  twelve  miles 
from  here,  which,  owing  to  its  fine  scenery  and  situation, 
used  to  be  a  great  resort  in  the  time  of  the  ancient  Romans, 
and  now  contains  remains  of  villas  of  Nero  and  Julius 
Caesar,  besides  some  ancient  temples.  The  route  thither  is 
vi-ry  fine  as  we  follow  the  shores  of  the  Bay,  which  are 
constantly  indented  with  smaller  bays.  Under  the  water  in 
some  places  are  found  the  remains  of  old  gardens  and 
houses,  which  prove  the  fact  that  the  water  inundated  this 
portion  of  the  country  when  it  receded  from  Pompeii  after 
the  eruption.  We  pass  also  the  villa  of  Virgil,  and  go 
through  a  long  tunnel  cut  through  the  mountain,  and  reach 


284  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES'. 

Pozzuoli,  a  small  town  where  St.  Paul  rested  three  days  om 
his  way  to  Rome.  Mt,  Nuovor  near  Pozzuoli,  was  formed 
by  an  eruption  of  1538?  when  it  compelled  the  abandonment 
of  the  city.  A  few  miles  further  on  are  some  celebrated 
grottoes,  which  seem  to  be  over  the  vein  of  volcanic  fire 
which  extends  through  these  rnountains.  The  vapor  is 
constantly  escaping  from  openings  in  the  ground,  and  here 
they  have  baths  for  the  benefit  of  rheumatic  people,  while 
in  another  grotto  the  smell  of  ammonia  is  over-powering- 
Another  cave  is-  very  warm  with  hot  vapor,  which  is  mixed 
with  carbonic  acid  gas,  and  when  a  dog  is  put  in  it  is  soon 
brought  out  insensible.  I  don't  think  I  should  like  to  live 
in  these1  places. 

Every  one  saysr  "have  you  been  to  Pompeii  ?"  and  I 
answer,  "yes,,  of  course,  I  went  there  the  first  thing."  Then 
the  next  question  is  sure  to  be,  "well,  what  did  you  think 
of  it  ?' '  and  then  I  do  not  know  what  to  say,  I  was  so  lost  in 
wonderment,  in  being  able  to  visit  a  city  and  walk  around 
it  when  it  had  been  entirely  buried  from  the  year  79  to  1748,. 
when  it  was  first  discovered.  The  streets  are  regularly  laid 
out  and  paved,  and  you  can  walk  around  with  the  greatest 
ease  and  follow  the  tracks  of  the  ancient  chariot  wheels  still 
Visible  in  the  stones.  The  stores  for  wine  and  oil  are 
designated  by  the  large  earthen  jars  which  are  standing  on 
the  store  counters,  unbroken,  and  some  even  with  the  covers 
over  them.  Then  the  bakery  contains  a  large  brick  oven 
where  we  found  many  loaves  of  bread,  which  are  still  shown 
in  the  museum,  but  as  they  were  baked  nearly  two  thousand 
years  they  are  too  well  done  to  be  eatable.  Near  another 
oven  is  the  skeleton  of  the  poor  cook  who  presided  over  the 
region  where  she  died.  The  houses  seem  to  be  all  built 
upon  the  same  plan  and  have  but  one  story,  that  being 
lighted  from  holes  in  the  roof,  as  glass  was  then  unknown 
or  very  rare  indeed.  They  all  seemed  built  around  a  court 
where  were  a  fountain  and  tables,  whither  I  presume  the 
gentlemen  used  to  resort  for  their  coffee  and  cigars,  if  they 
had  such  luxuries  in  those  days.  Around  this  was  arranged 
the  dining  room  on  one  side  with  the  sitting  room  opposite, 


IX   SOUTHERN   ITALY.  285 

while  the  tiny  bedrooms  and  kitchen  were  on  the  sides* 
between  them.  The  handsome  pillars  and  remnants  of 
Mosaic  floors  and  frescoed  walls  testify  to  the  former 
magnificence  of  these  dwellings,  and  indeed  I  believe  they 
have  not  yet  found  the  quarter  of  the  city  \vhere  the  poorer 
people  lived.  The  houses  of  Glaucus  and  Diomede  are 
among  the  finest,  and  in  the  cellar  of  the  latter  seventeen 
skeletons  were  found.  Among  these  was  the  skeleton  of  a 
young  girl  on  whose  neck  they  found  the  chain  with  her 
name  upon  it,  "Julia  Diomede,"  and  in  this  way  they 
identified  the  house.  The  street  of  tombs  is  lined  with 
them  on  each  side,  and  on  the  walls  of  some  the  inscriptions 
can  still  be  read.  The  forums  with  their  crumbling 
columns,  tell  where  the  judges  used  to  sit,  or  where  the 
people  used  to  meet  for  consultation,  or  where  merchandise 
was  exposed  for  sale,  as  there  were  different  ones  in  different 
parts  of  the  town . 

The  Temple  of  Isis  has  many  fine  pillars  left  standing, 
but  the  statues  have  all  been  removed.  The  altar  for 
sacrifice  is  in  perfect  preservation,  and  has  bas  reliefs  on  the 
base  which  are  handsomer  than  many  seen  in  modern 
temples.  The  theatres  are  more  desolate  looking  than  most 
of  the  other  buildings.  The  baths  are  comparatively  perfect, 
and  from  their  handsome  rooms  for  hot  or  cold  baths,  gym- 
nasium and  waiting  rooms,  besides  the  private  suites,  one 
can  form  some  idea  of  the  luxury  in  which  those  ancient 
inhabitants  lived.  In  one  room  the  ashes  are  still  to  be  seen 
in  an  old  bronze  kind  of  a  table  made  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  coals  to  warm  the  people  with  after  the  bath,  and 
here  were  found  several  skeletons,  and  in  this  same  room  in 
niches  in  the  wall  were  found  cases  of  pomade  and  per- 
fumery. All  of  the  houses  now  are  of  course  roofless,  and 
the  broken  walls  and  pillars  with  the  bare  looking  streets 
are  all  that  make  the  city  of  the  present.  Yet,  with  the 
sun  shining  through  the  streets  it  does  not  look  so  desolate 
as  old  Roman  remains,  and  I  should  not  have  been  surprised 
or  frightened  to  have  met  an  old  resident  of  Pompeii  and 


286  fiDlTORlAt  MISCEXtANTE'S'. 


have  him  ask  me  if  President  Grant   did  not  want    a  third- 
term. 

I  saw  one  house  that  had  only  been  unearthed  eight  days,. 
and  the  frescoes  were  nearly  as  bright  as  those  of  the  present 
day.  The  excavations  are  still  going  on  with  the  greatest 
care,  and  new  treasures  are  daily  being  found,,  which  will 
probably  be  greatly  increased,  as  only  about  one  third  of 
the  city  has  yet  been  exhumed.  The  government  appro- 
priates about  80,000  lire  a  year  to  carry  on  the  work,  and  a 
much  larger  sum  to  Herculaneum.  This  latter  city  is 
directly  beneath  the  present  city  of  Resina,  so  it  cannot  be- 
fully  explored  without  disturbing  the  people  above  it.  We 
went  with  candles  in  hand  down  one  hundred  feet  into  the 
caverns,  beneath  which  were  formerly  the  corridors  of  the 
theatre,  and  could  trace  out  the  stage  and  seats  with, 
difficult)-.  Another  portion  of  it  is  uncovered  and  several 
of  the  houses  and  streets  have  been  cleared,  but  it  is  much 
more  difficult  to  get  at,  as  Herculaneum  was  buried  in  a 
stream  of  lava  which  became  solid  when  cold,  while  Pompeii 
was  covered  with  pumice  stone  and  cinders,  which  are  much 
easier  to  loosen  and  also  caused  less  destruction. 

While  we  are  talking  of  these  buried  cities,  and  people,. 
and  desolated  homes,  we  may  as  well  look  to  the  source, 
the  foul  destroyer,  the  Mount  Vesuvius,  though  I  believe 
the  one  now  smoking  is  not  the  one  that  did  the  mischief  in 
seventy-fiine.  The  path  by  which  the  road  ascends  is  very 
winding,  and  seems  to  almost  double*  itself  as  it  turns  back 
and  forth.  At  each  turn  you  see  the  most  beautiful  pano- 
rama spread  at  your  feet  that  one  can  imagine,  including 
the  bay,  cities,  rivers  and  mountains  united  in  one  picture, 
which  nature  alone  can  produce.  The  mountain  sides  are 
covered  with  lava  in  different  places,  and  one  can  trace  the 
Various  currents  as  they  divided  and  ran  in  different  courses, 
carrying  desolation  with-  them  as  they  descended.  As  the 
lava  cooled  it  formed  a  kind  of  crust,  and  the  molten  mass 
beneath  made  it  into  all  kinds  of  queer  shapes  and  figures 
like  a  picture,  looking,  as  one  of  our  party  observed,  like 


IX   SOUTHERN   ITALY.  2'S; 

Michael  Angelo's  "Last  Judgment."  x  All  colors  of  lava  are 
found,  from  pure  white  to  deep  black,  and  the  people  make 
it  into  ornaments  and  jewelry,  that  is,  the  better  qualities  of 
it.  The  pictures  of  the  people  ascending  have  not  been 
•overdrawn,  for  nothing  can  look  more  ridiculous  than  to 
see  an  old  woman  ascending  the  cone,  with  one  man  pushing 
her  and  another  pulling,  while  she  helps  herself  all  she  can 
with  a  long  stick,  which  she  plants  firmly  in  the  deep  sand 
and  cinders.  It  requires  an  hour  and  a  half  to  mount  from 
the  observatory  to  the  crater,  while  one  can  descend  in  -five 
minutes.  In  this  observatory  they  keep  a  peculiarly  con- 
•structed  instrument  by  which  they  can  foretell  eruptions,  and 
it  is  the  business  of  the  man  who  lives  there  to  inform  the 
inhabitants  of  their  peril  so  they  may  be  able  to  escape.  It 
seems  as  if  there  were  land  enough  in  this  World  for  people 
to  live  upon  without  their  trying  to  cultivate  a  volcano;  but 
3'ou  see  houses  built  at  the  base  of  the  mountain  and  some 
quite  a  distance  up  the  sides.  They  will  doubtless  think  it 
a  very  cruel  dispensation  of  Providence  when  a  few  years 
or  months  hence  they  are  driven  from  their  homes,  when 
really  they  seem  beckoning  for  the  danger  to  overtake  them, 
and  rushing  on  to  meet  it. 

The  museum  here  is  filled  with  antiquities  and  interesting 
objects  which  have  been  obtained  in  Pompeii  or  Hercu- 
laneum,  and  it  is  interesting  to  see  how  similar  our  different 
tools,  furniture  and  utensils  are  now  to  those  used  so  many 
centuries  ago.  The  toilet  articles  of  ladies  were  found,  con- 
sisting of  combs,  powder,  etc.,  besides  looking  glasses  and 
hand  glasses,  which  were  of  polished  metal.  The  bronze 
lamps,  vases  and  ornaments  found,  are  very  delicate  and 
graceful  in  design,  and  are  neatly  covered  with  fine  carvings, 
as  are  also  the  tripods  found  in  the  temples.  Some  of  the 
choicest  pieces  of  sculpture  are  preserved  here,  as  well  as 
frescoes  and  pictures,  jewelry  and  -precious  stones,  all 
mementoes  of  that  ruined  city  of  the  dead. 

To  return  to  the  present.  I  had  quite  an  honor  after  I 
wrote  to  you  from  Rome,  and '  that  was  the  honor  of  seeing 


288  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

Garibaldi,  the  Italian  patriot  and  general.  He  looks  exactly 
like  the  pictures  I  have  seen  of  him,  only  very  pale  and 
feeble,  and  I  am  afraid  he  will  not  live  to  carry  out  the 
benevolent  project  he  now  has  in  view,  that  of  enlarging 
the  Tiber  and  improving  the  drainage  of  Rome,  thereby 
rendering  it  more  healthy  and  free  from  fever.  The  General 
walks  upon  crutches  and  seems  to  be  nearly  paralysed, 
though  I  think  he  is  able  to  enjoy  the  many  honors  which 
his  countrymen  are  bestowing  upon  him,  and  which  he  so 
richly  deserves.  May  his  strength  return  with  his  glory, 
and  enable  him  to  enjoy  his  rewards  for  many  years  to 
come. 

We  hear  the  English  language  spoken  on  every  side  now, 
and  nearly  every  other  person  you  meet  is  either  English  or 
American,  so  it  is  homelike  for  one  who  is  unfortunate 
enough  to  belong  to  either  of  these  classes.  I  am  proud  to 
belong  to  the  latter,  and  wonder  why  people  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic  do  not  go  over  in  greater  numbers  to  see  the 
great  American  wilderness,  which  they  seem  to  think  exists. 

The  weather  is  the  principal  topic  of  discourse  here,  as 
well  as  in  more  civilized  parts  of  the  world,  and  all  agree 
that  '  'it  has  been  an  unusually  severe  winter. ' '  It  has  not 
reached  Naples,  however,  and  we  can  buy  two  oranges  for 
a  cent,  so  we  are  still  happy. 

ANNA  McK. 


VENICE — VISIT  OF  THE  EMPEROR  OF  AUSTRIA — A  GALA  DAY 
— CANALS — GONDOLAS,    ETC. 

VENICE,  Italy,  April  8,  1875. 

As  we  approach  Venice  we  travel  over  marshy  grounds, 
and  we  finally  seem  to  be  on  the  water,  as  we  do  after  we 
get  here,  and  it  seems  as  if  we  would  soon  float  away.  It 
was  such  a  strange  experience  for  me  to  get  into  a  gondola 
at  the  station  and  start  on  a  street  of  water  for  the  hotel, 
that  I  could  not  help  laughing  though  of  course  I  leaned 
back  and  tried  to  appear  as  if  I  had  always  been  accustomed 
to  riding  in  a  gondola.  We  came  here  just  at  the  time 
when  every  one  else  was  coming  and  consequently  found 


IN    SOUTHERN   ITAtY. 

She  city  very  crowded  with  people  who  were  waiting  for  the 
grand  event  of  the  season,  or  the  coming  of  Francis  Joseph, 
the  Emperor  of  Austria.  On  Monday  morning  f  April  fifth) 
•the  grand  canal,  which  is  the  fifth  avenue  of  Venice, 
presented  a  very  gay  appearance  when  down  the  whole 
length  of  it  from  every  window  and  balcony  were  streaming 
banners  and  bunting  of  every  color  and  description,  while 
flags  were  floating  from  every  staff,  our  own  dear  stars  and 
stripes  among  the  rest.  The  large  ships  which  lay  at  anchor 
in  the  Bay,  at  the  head  of  the  canal,  were  also  gayly 
trimmed  from  stem  to  stern  with  banners,  while  the  little 
gondolas  that  plyed  back  and  forth,  each  bore  a  flag  of 
some  kind.  At  eleven  o'clock  the  royal  party  appeared  in 
the  municipal  boats  which  numbered  fourteen,  and  were 
each  manned  with  eight  rowers.  These  were  very  large 
and  most  graceful  in  design  and  seemed  to  be  made  of  solid 
gold,  while  each  was  curtained  and  draped  with  silk,  no 
two  being  of  the  same  color.  The  different  crews  or 
gondoliers  wore  costumes  very  prettih-  made  and  correspond-- 
ing  in  color  to  the  trimmings  of  their  boats,  and  the  glisten- 
ing armor  of  the  officers  and  the  sparkling  of  the  Waters 
were  doubly  bright  in  contrast  with  the  gay  colors.  As 
this  group  of  gondolas  moved  gently  down  the  stream,  the 
people  shouted  and  fired  salutes  with  the  canons,  while  the 
band  played  and  the  bells  rung,  furnishing  a  scene  and  a 
welcome  worthy  the  "Bride  of  the  sea,"  never  to  be  for1 
gotten  by  one  spectator  at  least.  There  were  also  number^ 
less  gondolas  for  officers  or  citizens  that  were  arrayed  in 
different  styles,  as  the  private  liveries  are  varied  and 
according  to  the  person's  taste,  but  all  Were  very  handsome 
and  displaying  flags.  After  this  the  people  flocked  to  the 
Plaza  St.  Mark,  which  is  a  square  surrounded  on  three 
sides  by  the  municipal  or  king's  palace,  where  the  emperor 
was  entertained  and  where  they  packed  themselves  in  and 
waited  for  a  sight  of  his  highness.  This  was  finally  granted 
to  them,  as  he  appeared  on  the  balcony  for  a  few  moments 
only.  He  is  of  very  fine  figure  and  face,  with  light  com- 
plexion and  blue  eyes,  and  presents  a  perfect  contrast  to 


2QO  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

King  Victor  Emanuel,  who  is  very  dark  and — homely,  if  I 
may  be  allowed  to  express  my  candid  opinion.  There  was 
music  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the  evening  when  the  crowned 
heads  were  enjoying  (?)  a  crowded  ball,  the  city  was 
illuminated.  From  every  terrace,  turret  and  tower  colored 
lights  were  beaming,  while  the  canal  streets  were  brilliantly 
lighted.  Besides  these  colored  lights  the  ships  had 
hundreds  of  chines'e  lanterns  hanging  from  masts  and  rig- 
ging, while  from  sea  and  shore  the  rockets  and  fireworks 
were  ascending,  making  the  heavens  as  brilliant  as  the 
earth.  Then  the  reflections  in  the  water  of  the  brightness 
and  the  colors,  doubled  the  magnificence  and  rendered 
together  a  sight  that  can  be  better  imagined  than  described. 
The  next  day  they  had  a  review  of  the  troops  at  Padua, 
and  an  opera  in  the  evening,  which  was  the  closing  of  the 
Emperor's  visit,  as  he  departed  the  next  day  for  his  home. 
They  say  an  Italian  crowd  is  always  good  natured,  which  is 
saying  a  great  deal  for  the  dispositions  of  these  people,  as  a 
crowd  is  sure  to  develop  any  unpleasant  characteristics  a 
person  may  possess.  They  do  not  seem  to  be  very  demonstrative 
as  even  the  sight  of  their  king  did  not  call  forth  much  en- 
thusiasm, but  they  appear  to  me  to  be  a  quiet,  well-doing 
people,  perfectly  happy  if  they  have  enough  of  macaroni 
and  sunshine.  The  latter  seems  absolutely  necessary  for 
their  well  being,  and  I  think  it  penetrates  through  to  their 
hearts  and  natures. 

It  seems  very  strange  to  be  in  this  city  of  the  sea  and  to  see 
all  the  transportation  of  either  people  OF  merchandise  done 
by  water  instead  of  carriage.  You  do  not  realize  how  great 
a  part  of  the  life  of  a  city  is  due  to  the  animals,  until  you 
reach  a  place  where  there  are  no  horses,  and  then  you  miss 
them,  and  would  welcome  the  sight  of  even  a  donkey,  which 
in  Italy  are  more  numerous  than  horses.  Then  there  is 
that  lack  of  vegetation  too,  and  I  should  think  the  in- 
habitants would  tire  of  this  continual  "water  scape,"  and 
long  for  some  yards  and  gardens,  and  fields  of  green  grass. 
However,  there  is  but  one  Venice  in  the  world  and  her 
specialty  is  her  charm.  It  is  like  a  dream  to  float  through 


IX   SOUTHERN    ITALY.  291 

her  winding  streets,  past  the  loft}'  palaces  and  under  her 
arched  bridges,  and  you  are  constantly  asking  yourself 
r,  -here  you  are  and  what  you  are.  There  are  narrow  streets 
where  people  can  traverse  the  entire  breadth  of  the  city  on 
foot  if  they  wish  by  crossing  bridges,  but  the  popular  mode 
of  navigation  is  by  water.  I  was  somewhat  disappointed  in 
the  gondolas,  as  I  thought  they  would  be  gay  in  color  and 
design  like  those  we  see  on  the  lakes  at  Central  Park,  New 
York.  On  the  contrary  they  are  universally  black  and 
homely  excepting  a  few  private  ones  which  are  handsomely 
fitted  up,  but  they  still  retain  the  graceful  shape  and  motion 
that  is  peculiar  to  the  Venetian  gondola. 

The  "Bridge  of  Sighs"  leading  from  the  palace  to  the 
prison,  is  yet  an  object  of  interest  in  Venice,  and  with  the 
sun  shining  upon  its  graceful  proportions  spanning  the 
stream  so  far  beneath,  I  could  not  make  it  synonomous  with 
Hood's  beautiful  poem  so  full  of  sadness.  Yet  Venice  is  a 
city  of  beautiful  visions,  and  its  dwellers  must  live  a  kind  of 
dream  life  and  when  rudely  awakened  I  do  not  wonder  that 
one  was  "weary  of  breath."  ANNA  McK. 


FROM  ATHENS  TO  MARATHON. 


[Miss  Harriet  E.  McKinstry  writes  to  her  uncle,  of  the  Censor,  &. 
description1  of  a  trip  to  the  Battle  Field  of  Marathon.] 

Greece  is  not  only  beautiful  in  its  art,,  but  beautiful  in  its. 
situation. 

"Yet  are  thy  skies  as  blue,  thy  crags  as  wild; 
Sweet  are  thy  groves,,  and  verdant  are-  thy  fields-, 
Thine  olives  ripe  as  when  Minerva  smiled, 
And  still  his  honied  wealth  Mymettus-  yields;. 
Art,  Glory,  Freedom  fail,  but  nature  still  is  fair," 

Early  one  bright  morning  we  started  from-  Athens  for  a 
fide  of  eight  miles-  to  the  monastery  at  the  base  of  Mt. 
Pentelicon.  The  ride  was  charming,  and  it  required  self 
control  to  keep  our  places  in  the  carriage  and  wait  for  our 
return  ere  we  plucked  the  red  poppy,  the  nodding  asphodel,, 
and  the  rich  scarlet  aenemoiie  which  lined  the  roadside. 
Our  driver  did  kindly  break  off  for  us-  branches  laden  with, 
the  loVely  pink  almond  blossoms. 

At  the  monastery  we  left  the  carriage,  and  with  a  few 
modern  Greek  Words  and  many  gestures  had  soon  bargained 
for  a  guide,  a  donkey f  and  a  boy  to  manage  his  majesty. 
The  native  saddle  made  of  strips  of  wood  was  not  easy,  but 
our  shawls  helped  to  render  a  seat  comfortable.  At  first  our 
path  led  along  the  bank  of  a  pretty  stream,  but  soon  we 
began  the  ascent.  Our  way  was  literally  strewn  with 
millions  of  pieces  of  marble  which  cut  our  shoes  and  hinder- 
ed our  progress.  Frequently  we  would  come  upon  pieces 
of  tinted  crystal  with  which  we  filled  our  pockets.  We  rode 
in  turn,  because  it  was  not  restful  either  to  ride  or  walk  long 
at  a  time.  The  others  thought  I  completed  the  picture 
when  I  rode  holding  over  my  head  an  umbrella  as  a  protec- 
tion from  the  fierce  rays  of  the  sun,  my  lap  filled  with  bits 
of  marble,  and  with  the  drapery  of  my  dress  covering  the 
little  donkey  like  the  trappings  of  the  horses  at  a  French 
funeral. 


FROM  ATHENS  TO  MARATHON.  293 

We  found  the  crevices  filled  with  deep  snow,  as  pure  as 
the  pentelic  marble  which  lay  so  near.  We  had  no  alter- 
native but  to  wade,  as  the  donkey  refused  to  stir  in  the 
snow  which  came  up  toward  his  neck,  and  so  lay  down,  for 
the  guide  and  boy  to  pull  him  through  with  a  rope. 
Fortunately  the  warm  sun  quickly  dried  our  garments  after 
such  an  experience  of  which  we  had  several. 

After  two  hours  hard  work  we  reached  an  extensive 
grotto  in  which  were  fine  stalactite  and  stalagmite  forma- 
tions, and  at  one  side  a  shrine  to  Demeter  with  remains  of 
ancient  frescos.  In  the  center  of  the  grotto  we  found 
delicious  cool  water  dripping  into  a  basin  in  the  rock  which 
it  had  worn  for  itself.  After  resting  we  started  on.  The 
path  grew  more  and  more  difficult  and  the  danger  of  losing 
our  footing  correspondingly  greater.  We  would  reach  one 
peak  and  find  another  and  another  still  higher  beyond.  At 
last  after  an  hour  the  dreadful  thought  flashed  through  our 
minds  that  perhaps  the  guide  had  not  understood  what  we 
wanted,  and  was  just  leading  us  about  from  one  peak  to 
another  with  never  a  prospect  of  reaching  the  top  of  Pentelicon 
itself.supposing  we  were  climbing  merely  for  a  day's  amuse- 
ment. We  hastily  plunged  ahead,  and  reaching  the  guide 
quite  in  advance,  shouted,  "Marathon."  The  guide 
turned,  smiled,  nodded  his  head  and  pointed  at  the  peak  in 
front.  Wavering  between  doubt  and  fear,  we  sped  along, 
until  at  last  the  peak  was  reached,  and  there,  Eureka  ! 
spread  out  before  our  eyes  lay  far  below  "The  battle  field 
where  Persia's  victim  horde,  first  bowed  beneath  the  brunt 
of  Hellas'  sword."  Breathless  we  sat  down  to  wait  for  the 
others.  Then  going  to  a  point  at  the  right  where  a  still 
better  view  could  be  obtained  we  three  Americans  sat  for  an 
hour  feasting  our  eyes  upon  the  beautiful  picture  presented. 

We  had  climbed  3,600  feet,  but  the  fatigue  was  all 
forgotten.  At  our  feet  lay  the  beautiful  plain  and  bay  with 
only  a  mound  to  recall  the  days  when  "Marathon  became  a 
magic  word."  In  front  lay  the  lofty  Euboean  mountains 
with  their  snow  covered  peaks,  and  the  sparkling  waters  of 
the  gulf.  We  could  locate  Eretria,  hidden  behind  the 


mountain  now  famous  because  of  the  finding  by  the1 
American  school  of  Archaeology  of  a  rich  tomb  which  the- 
inscription  indicates  may  be  that  of  Aristotle, 

With  a  glass  we  could  see  off  two  hundred  miles  to  the 
right  whefe  lay  the  island  of  Milos  where  the  beautiful, 
statue  of  Venus  de  Milo  was  found.  Reluctantly  we 
commenced  the  descent  which  was-  much  more  rapid  than, 
the  ascent.  When  riding  the  umbrella  was  no  longer 
carried,  and  instead  the  saddle  was  grasped  firmly,  front 
and  back.  As  the  saddles  ate  never  fastened  on  tightly  one- 
does  not  have  a  very  secure  feeling,  especially  when  master 
donkey  one  half  way  down  a  smooth  boulder  down  which 
he  has  been  sliding,  suddenly  decides  to  stop  and  eat  a  small 
bite  at  the  side,  at  the  imminent  risk  of  your  flying  over  his 
head.  The  monastery  was  again  reached  and  now  wre  were 
whirling  back  to  Athens  which  we  entered  just  as  the  sun. 
was  casting  a  rosy  gk>w  over  the  beautiful  marble  of  the 
Parthenon.  We  felt  as  proud  of  our  day's-  work  as  if  we 
had  conquered  an  army. 

Our  other  mountain  trip  was  of  a  much  less  difficult 
nature  though  the  enjoyment  was  perhaps  as  great. 

When  visiting  in  Carrara  our  host  took  us  to  some  of  his 
quarries'  which  are  far  up  on  the  mountain.  We  went  up 
by  the  railway  which  is  a  marvelous  piece  of  engineering, 
We  went  round  some  five  miles  to  get  up  eight  hundred 
feet.  lyooking  over  the  edge  of  the  precipice  we  could 
realize  how  fearful  would  be  the  plunge  should  an  accident 
occur.  The  way  is  devious  and  the  tunnels  many;  the 
longest  tunnel  is  one  and  one-half  miles  long  drilled  right 
through  the  solid  marble— just  think  of  passing  through, 
not  marble  halls,  but  marble  tunnels  !  There  is  no  masonry 
about  the  tunnels  except  blocks  of  marble  placed  at  the 
entrance/  The  engines  are  strong  and  we  were  soon  at  the 
top.  A  blast  had  just  been  made  and  we  could  see  the  huge 
blocks  of  marble  which  had  been  broken  off.  The  blocks 
quarried  are  enormous  in  size,  some  of  them  are  cut  into 
four  pieces  before  being  shipped;  and  in  some  cases  weigh 
as  much  as  twenty  tons.  The  marble  of  Carrara  is  noted 


FROM    ATHENS  TO   MARATHON. 

Tor  its  exquisite  purity  and  for  its  fine  grain,  though  colored 
and  blue  marble  are  also  found  in  these  mountains.  Sculp- 
tors are  fond  of  this  marble  because  with  its  wonderful 
whiteness,  there  is  also  a  life  like  glow  which  appears  as  it 
is  worked.  We  noted  the  difference  in  the  closeness  of  the 
particles  between  the  Pentelic  and  Carrara  marble,  a  block 
of  the  former  which  we  could  readily  carry  away,  of  the  same 
size  of  the  latter  we  could  scarcely  lift.  Our  descent  of  the 
mountain  was  rapid  and  most  of  the  way  without  an  engine. 
Due  precautions  have  been  taken  -against  accident;  should 
the  train  start  to  run  away,  the  switches  would  turn  it  up 
the  mountain  side  and  it  would  soon  spend  itself. 

\Ve  went  down  to  the  port  to  see  the  ships  being  laden 
with  the  marble  which  is  ever}-  where.  Marble  is  so 
common  that  the  finer  new  houses  are  being  made  of  stucco 
instead,  though  marble  is  still  used  for  door  and  window 
casings.  Carrara  has  a  fine  school  building  all  of  marble 
and  an  Academy  where  the  young  boys  are  trained  to  draw 
and  chisel,  so  that  it  is  not  strange  that  when  they  are  grown 
their  workmanship  is  so  perfect.  We  went  into  the  studio 
of  our  hostess'  brother,  who  has  been  knighted  by  the  king 
in  recognition  of  the  excellence  of  his  work. 

Mr.  Doran  took  us  to  his  new  saw  mill,  one  of  the  largest 
of  the  city,  and  we  were  astonished  to  find  marble  could  be 
cut  in  layers  as  thin  as  paste  board.  Even,"  one  is  interested 
in  marble;  there  are  about  400  quarries,  aud  it  is  an  arm)' 
of  laborers  who  go  forth  in  the  morning  for  a  day's  work, 
each  with  a  huge  piece  of  bread  in  his  basket  for  lunch. 

Carrara  is  a  city  of  about  20,000  inhabitants  with  30,000 
more  in  the  suburbs.  The  mountains  towering  above  are 
imposing  and  beautiful  in  their  grandeur.  We  wish  all 
travelers  might  have  such  an  opportunity  as  we  had  of 
seeing  the  marble  industry  of  this  Italian  city. 


296  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


MEMORIAL,  OF  HON.  BEMAN  BROCKWAY. 


[Read  by  W.  McKinstry  before  the  N.  Y.  Press  Association  at  the 
annual  meeting,  Saranac  Lake,  June  28,  1893.] 

This  veteran  journalist  passed  away  at  his  home  in  Water- 
town,  N.  Y.,  December  16,  1892,  after  a  short  illness,  caused 
by  the  removal  of  a  cataract  from  his  eye,  which  had 
threatened  to  produce  total  blindness.  This  infirmity  had 
been  growing  upon  him  for  some  months,  so  that  his  ability 
for  editorial  work  was  much  diminished.  He  survived  but 
a  few  days  after  the  operation.  Thus  closed  the  mortal  life 
of  one  who  from  humble  beginning  had  attained  to  the  front 
rank  of  his  profession. 

He  was  born  in  Southampton,  Mass.,  April  12,  1815,  the 
oldest  of  five  children.  When  fifteen  years  of  age  he  became 
an  apprentice  in  the  printing  business,  in  the  office  of  the 
Northampton  Courier,  of  which  Winthrop  Atwill  was  the 
editor  and  printer.  In  1834,  when  19  years  of  age,  he  came 
to  Mayville,  N.  Y.,  and  engaged  in  the  Mayville  Sentinel, 
and  from  that  time  to  the  close  of  his  life  he  was  almost 
unremittingly  engaged  in  newspaper  work,  a  period  of 
more  than  56  years.  Like  most  of  the  journalists  of  that 
time,  he  could  set  the  types,  impose  the  form,  fly  the  frisket 
and  prepare  the  editorial  matter  for  the  paper. 

His  early  home  was  on  a  rock-ribbed  mountain  farm. 
Not  far  distant,  in  a  rude  school  house  at  the  cross  roads, 
he  got  his  early  rudimental  education,  working  on  the  farm 
in  summer  as  soon  as  he  was  large  enough  to  be  useful,  and 
attending  school  in  winter  till  he  left  home  to  learn  his 
trade.  Hence  his  fitness  for  his  future  editorial  life  wras 
mostly  acquired  in  the  printing  office. 

While  Beman  was  an  apprentice  his  father  sold  his 
Massachusetts  farm,  and  moved  to  Clymer,  Chautauqua 


^MEMORIAL  OF  HOX.  BEMAN  BROCKWAY.  2Q7 

County,  then  a  wilderness  where  most  of  the   few  dwellings 
were  constructed  of  logs. 

So  in  1834  the  son  took  a  vacation  to  visit  his  father  in 
Westein  New  York.  Taking  a  stage  at  Northampton  for 
Albany  he  had  a  long  day's  ride  of  87  miles;  from  Albany 
he  took  a  line  boat  on  the  Erie  Canal  to  Buffalo  and  from 
that  place  a  steamboat  to  Dunkirk,  the  whole  journey 
occupying  a  little  more  than  a  week's  time.  A  Packet,  as 
the  fast  boats  on  the  canal  were  called,  would  have  made 
the  voyage  two  days  quicker,  but  the  fare  would  be  four 
cents  per  mile,  while  on  the  line  boat  it  was  only  two  cents, 
board  included,  and  he  could  spare  the  extra  time  easier 
than  he  could  the  extra  fare  for  what  was  then  called  quick 
passage.  From  Dunkirk  he  walked  most  of  the  way  to 
Clymer,  a  distance  of  thirty  miles.  He  was  still  an  ap- 
prentice and  expected  money  from  his  employer  to  return  to 
Northampton,  but  the  proprietor  was  short,  as  was  often 
the  case,  and  could  not  send  the  necessary  money  to  return, 
so  he  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  for  a  time,  taught 
school  in  the  winter  and  in  the  spring  secured  work  in  the 
Fredonia  Censor  office  for  a  few  mouths.  The  village  of 
Clymer  is  on  the  southern  line  of  the  County  and  State,  and 
only  two  miles  distant  across  the  Pennsylvania  line  resided 
the  parents  of  Horace  Greeley.  Here  the  families  became 
well  acquainted,  and  in  after  years,  when  Mr.  Greeley 
visited  his  parents,  he  would  walk  from  Dunkirk  to  Fre- 
donia, where  his  sister  Esther  (afterwards  Mrs.  J.  F.  Cleve- 
land,) lived,  then  to  Mayville,  and  call  on  his  friend  Brock- 
way,  and  then  proceed  to  his  father's  home. 

While  Mr.  Brockway  was  assisting  his  father  on  the  farm, 
he  received  a  letter  from  Mayville,  inviting  him  to  come 
and  work  on  the  Sentinel.  He  accepted  gladly,  as  he  had 
earned  no  money  for  some  time.  The  paper  had  recently 
changed  hands,  and  been  bid  off  on  sheriffs  sale  to  satisfy 
the  board  bill  of  his  predecessor.  Three  gentlemen  were 
the  purchasers,  all  devoted  to  the  snpport  of  Gen.  Jackson's 
administration.  He  was  made  foreman  of  the  paper,  and 


298  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

soon  after  purchased  the  establishment  and  at  twenty  years 
of  age  became  a  full  fledged  editor  in  his  own  sanctum. 
The  Sentinel  office  consisted  of  a  Ramage  or  wooden  press, 
with  stone  bed,  a  well  worn  font  of  long  primer,  and  also 
one  of  brevier  and  a  few  fonts  of  well  worn  job  letter. 

His  early  experience  as  a  pioneer  printer  was  paralleled 
by  many  others  of  the  time,  who  could  fly  the  frisket  as 
well  as  write  editorials  and  put  them  in  type.  Thurlow 
Weed,  Horace  Greeley,  Geo.  Dawson  and  many  others  who 
combined  editorial  work  with  manual  labor  to  sustain  and 
support  the  press  in  those  early  times  were  then  or  had  been 
prepared  for  future  fame  and  influence  in  this  way. 

While  in  Mayville  Mr.  Brockway  early  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Reuben  E.  Fenton,  a  bright  young  politician 
of  the  same  political  party,  some  four  years  his  junior,  who 
had  been  elected  supervisor  of  his  town,  and  was  thus 
brought  to  the  County  seat  on  official  business.  It  was  a 
life  long  friendship  and  was  of  much  service  to  him  in  after 
years.  He  also  made  the  acquaintance  of  Wm.  H.  Seward, 
then  in  charge  of  the  Holland  L,and  Co.'s  office  at  Westfield 
in  the  same  county.  Though  opposed  in  politics  they  were 
personal  friends. 

While  he  was  in  business  at  Mayville,  in  May,  1837, 
having  just  passed  22  years  of  age,  Mr.  Brockway  was 
married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Allen  Warner,  of  Northampton. 
The  acquaintance  and  attachment  was  formed  when  he  was 
an  apprentice  in  the  Courier  office  and  she  a  school  girl 
living  near  where  he  boarded.  She  was  an  accomplished 
lady,  of  lovable  disposition  and  well  adapted  to  make  a 
happy  home.  She  died  in  Sept.  1854,  greatly  lamented  by 
a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 

Mr.  Brockway  published  the  Sentinel  ten  years  till  1845 
when  he  sold  out  at  a  large  advance,  due  in  part  to  the  im- 
provements he  had  made,  but  mostly  to  the  greatly  increased 
patronage.  In  this  time  he  had  saved  some  $5,000,  with 
which  to  go  into  business  in  a  larger  place.  He  purchased 
the  Oswego  Palladium.  After  successfully  publishing  that 


MEMORIAL  OF  HON.   BEMAN  BROCKWAY.  299 

paper  some  eight  years  and  a  paper  in  Pulaski  for  a  time, 
he  went  to  New  York  and  was  for  some  two  years  with  his 
friend  Horace  Greeley.  He  was  the  Tribune  news  editor, 
but  had  some  share  in  the  editorial  work  in  connection  with 
his  other  duties. 

Mr.  Brockway  was  private  secretary-  to  Reuben  E.  Fenton 
during  the  term  of  the  latter  as  governor,  acting  as  Albany 
correspondent  of  the  Tribune  at  the  same  time. 

During  Gov.  F.'s  administration  a  vacancy  occurred  in 
the  office  of  Canal  Appraiser,  a  kind  of  Court  of  Claims,  and 
Mr.  Brockway  was  appointed  to  that  office,  which  he  held 
for  some  five  years.  At  the  close  of  his  term  of  service  he 
was  persuaded  to  purchase  an  interest  in  the  Watertown 
Times  and  Reformer.  He  subsequently  purchased  the 
interest  of  his  two  partners  and  became  sole  proprietor. 

He  continued  his  connection  with  this  paper  till  near  the 
close  of  his  useful  life,  some  30  years  later.  Here  he  had 
opportunity  to  expand  his  editorial  capacity,  and  bring  into 
larger  use  the  experience  of  his  earlier  years.  It  was  a 
growing  city  in  which  he  located  and  he  took  a  position  of 
usefulness  and  exercised  large  influence  in  political  circles. 
The  contrast  between  his  position  here  and  that  on  the 
Mayville  Sentinel  was  most  marked.  Instead  of  an  old 
Ram  age  press,  and  an  office  in  an  unfinished  room  over  a 
store,  he  erected  a  four-story  printing  office,  and  with  a 
double  cylinder  Hoe  press  propelled  by  steam,  and  with  all 
the  best  improvements  of  the  art,  his  enterprise  and  business 
capacity  had  an  apt  illustration. 

During  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  he  wrote  a  series  of 
articles  entitled  "Rummaging  in  the  Past."  The  articles 
appeared  weekly,  in  all  72  numbers.  They  embodied  a 
history  of  the  time  from  the  commencement  of  his  life  as  a 
journalist,  giving  his  estimate  of  the  prominent  men  of  that 
time  and  the  political  events  with  which  he  was  more  or 
less  connected.  The  public  read  them  with  much  interest 
and  he  was  persuaded  to  put  them  in  convenient  book  form 
to  which  was  added  a  brief  biography.  The  book  was 


3"O<j  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES-. 

published  about   a  year   before  his  death   and  was  regarded! 
as  a  valuable  and  entertaining  history. 

Originally  a  Democrat,  Mr.  Brockway  in  the  dissensions 
of  1847-48  become  a  Barnburner,  as  the  free  soil  Democrats- 
were  termed,  who  sustained  the  Wilmot  proviso,  which, 
opposed  any  extension  of  slavery. 

On  the  formation  of  the  Republican  party  they  very 
naturally  drifted  into  it,  as  it  was  composed  of  "Woolly 
Heads' T  or  Seward  Whigs,  free  soil  democrats,  abolitionists, 
and  all  opponents  of  slavery,  and  this  combination  prepared 
for  the  great  political  victory  of  1860  and  the  election  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  new  party  brought  many  hard 
fighters  in  the  former  political  fields  into  unison.  Such  men 
as  Ben  Wade,  J.  R.  Giddings,  Salmon  P.  Chase,  Martin 
VanBuren,  John  P.  Hale,  James  G.  Birney  and  many  others 
became  allied  with  Wm.  H.  Seward  in  the  "irrepressible 
conflict,"'  conquered  the  rebellion  and  gave  the  country 
peace. 

These  stirring  events,  in  all  of  which  Mr.  Brockway  as  an 
editor  had  a  prominent  part,  made  a  fertile  field  for  his 
reminiscences  of  Fifty  years  of  Journalism. 

During  his  active  political  life  he  held  no  legislative  office 
but  once  and  that  was  unsought.  In  1858  he  was  elected 
to  the  legislature  from  Oswego  County,  and  served  one  term. 
He  was  a  useful  member,  honest  and  true  to  his  convictions 
and  sought  the  good  of  the  people  rather  than  personal  gain. 
As  an  editor  and  as  a  citizen  he  hated  shams  and  wrote  and 
spoke  as  he  thought.  When  at  Mayville  where  his  party 
was  largely  in  the  minority  in  the  county,  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  his  subscribers  were  politically  opposed  to  him,  and 
even  in  the  exciting  campaign  of  1 840  when  '  'Tippecanoe 
and  Tyler  too"  overwhelmed  all  opposition,  the)'  still  stuck 
by  his  paper,  giving  him  credit  for  the  sincerity  and  honesty 
of  his  convictions. 

While  Mr.  Brockway  was  an  apprentice  in  Northampton 
there  were  two  other  apprentices  in  the  office,  and  when 
separated  they  always  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  him, 
although  for  some  years  it  cost  25  cents  to  send  a  letter, 


MEMORIAL  OF  HON.  BEMAN  BROCKWAY.  301 

which  was  quite  an  expense  when  they  were  working  for 
$30  per  year  and  board.  L,.  L.  Pratt,  one  of  these  boys, 
followed  editorial  life  for  some  years  in  Fredonia,  N.  Y., 
was  Postmaster  under  Gen.  Taylor  and  Fillmore,  and  for 
some  years  past  has  been  in  the  Times  office  with  Mr. 
Brock  way,  reading  proofs  and  taking  charge  of  the  weather 
predictions.  The  other,  the  writer  of  this  tribute,  worked 
for  his  friend  B.  two  years  on  the  Sentinel,  from  1839  to 
1841,  and  shared  with  him  in  the  experiences  of  early 
printers  in  that  county.  He  went  to  Fredonia  in  1842  and 
for  51  years  has  been  publisher  of  the  Censor,  a  paper  21 
years  old  when  he  purchased  it. 

But,  brethren  of  the  press,  we  are  passing  away.  Yen- 
many  have  gone  to  the  land  of  shadows  since  Mr.  Brockway 
became  associated  with  you.  In  years  and  experience  he 
was  the  oldest  survivor. 

He  was  a  true  man,  true  to  his  friends  through  life,  and 
tolerant  to  those  who  dissented  from  him,  and  with  "malice 
toward  none  and  charity  toward  all"  he  put  off  the  armor 
of  his  life  struggles.  He  died  with  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  all  with  w^hom  he  had  ever  come  in  contact.  He  has  left 
his  "footprints  in  the  sands  of  time,"  and  humble  beginners 
will  take  heart  by  his  example. 

We  cannot  more  appropriately  close  this  humble  tribute 
than  by  quoting  from  the  editorial  of  his  successor  in  the 
Watertown  Times: 

"He  did  not  believe  in  death,  as  it  is  commonly  under- 
stood, and  never  used  the  word  in  reference  to  any  of  his 
friends  who  had  gone  to  the  other  country.  The  closing 
paragraph  of  his  Autobiography  best  gives  his  views.  He 
says: 

"  'Though  enjoying  a  fair  degree  of  health,  I  understand 
that  I  am  an  old  man.  I  use  the  term  old  as  commonly 
employed.  I  have  occupied  the  tenement  in  which  I  now 
reside  a  good  while,  and  I  shall  have  to  vacate  the  same 
sooner  or  later.  When  I  have  done  so,  people  will  say  I 
am  dead,  because  they  have  been  taught  to  think  so,  and 


302  EDITORIAL  MISCEU^ANIES- 

consider  death  as  a  serious  matter.  I  do  not  so  regard  it. 
It  is  simply  one  of  life's  changes.  I  look  upon  what  is 
termed  death  as  a  laying  aside  of  worn  out  garments,  and 
cannot  help  feeling  that  the  unseen  force  which  animates 
them,  which  propels  and  guides  the  pencil  now  employed  in 
putting  these  words  on  paper,  will  be  provided  with  new 
and  superior  ones;,  and  that  it  will  live  on  through  the 
unending  ages  of  eternity.  So  the  future  has  no  terror  for 
me,  expecting,  as  I  do,  to  resume  work  in  the  spirit  world 
when  I  have  reached  that  plane  of  existence;  and  I  trust 
that  the  progress  I  have  made  while  inhabiting  the  mortal 
body  will  be  of  some  service  to  me  when  I  take  possession 
of  the  immortal  one.  I  cannot  think  that  I  have  lived 
wholly  in  vain.' 

"No,  not  in  vain,  for  no  word  spoken  by  him  but  has 
had  a  purpose  to  purify,  to  help,  to  uplift  humanity.  Into 
what  hearts  they  have  fallen  and  given  better  impulses,  into 
what  lives  they  have  come  and  strengthened,  no  one  knows. 
The  editor,  through  58  years  of  daily  toil,  has  striven  to  do 
good.  What  the  results  are  he  cannot  tell,  he  only  knows 
his  purpose.  As  one  whom  this  old  editor  knew,  and  whom 
he  now  meets  in  the  glow  of  '  'that  light  which  never  shone 
on  sea  or  land,"  *  has  written: 

Like  some  workman,  he,  who  plies 

His  chisel  with  swift,  patient  hands, 
And  shapes  the  plan  a  greater  hath  designed, 
The  rugged  marble  fronts  him,  and  behind, 
The  invisible  Master  stands, 
To  whom  alone 
The  secret  of  the  block  is  known. 

The  time  is  long,  the  watcher's  eyes  wax  blind, 

And  weary  is  the  worker,  toiling  dumb; 
But  at  the  last,  before  him  there  is  grown 
A  figure  of  the  fairer  age  to  come  ! 
The  image  of  the  Master's  mind, 

Girt  with  Beauty's  perfect  zone, 
Looms  living  from  the  stoue  ! 
*The  late  DAVID  GRAY,  editor  of  Buffalo  Courier. 


MEMORIAL  OF  HOX.   BEMAN  BROCK  WAY.  303 

^Mr.  Brockway  wrote  the  following  letter  to  Mr.  Mc- 
Kinstry,  in  reply  to  an  invitation  to  dinner  on  his  yoth  year 
birthday :] 

TIMES  AND  REFORMER  OFFICE. 
Watertown,  N.  Y.,  May  7,  1885. 

Willard  McKinstry,  Esq. — My  Dear  Cousin: — Your  card 
asking  me  to  dine  with  you  May  9  is  at  hand,  I  wish  I 
could  do  it.  Not  that  I  care  for  the  dinner,  though  I  have 
no  doubt  it  will  be  a  good  one;  but  it  would  afford  me  great 
pleasure  to  meet  with  you  once  more,  and  to  congratulate 
you  upon  attaining  the  age  of  three  score  and  ten.  I  reach- 
ed that  point  twenty-seven  days  ahead  of  you.  I  state  this 
as  a  fact,  and  not  as  a  matter  to  be  boasted  of,  for  I  find  as 
one  grows  old  he  is  not  half  as  ambitious  to  talk  of  his  age 
as  when  younger.  Yet  I  realize  that  I  am  no  longer  a 
young  man.  I  cannot  perform  the  labor  I  once  could,  and 
understand  I  must  finish  my  work  and  be  ready  fo  join  the 
multitudes  inhabiting  the  spirit  world,  where  I  expect  to 
complete  the  tasks  commenced  in  this  life.  I  am  in  no  haste 
to  go,  but  do  not  wish  to  remain  when  I  can  be  no  longer 
useful  here.  That  you  may  yet  see  a  goodly  number  of 
birthdays,  and  stay  upon  earth  as  long  as  you  will  care  to 
remain,  and  that  your  last  days  may  be  your  happiest  ones, 
is  the  sincere  desire  and  prayer  of  your  affectionate  cousin, 

B.  BROCKWAY. 


304  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


THE  UNDERGROUND  RAILROAD. 


DEATH  OF  A  PROMINENT  CONDUCTOR. 


[From  the  FREDONIA  CENSOR  of  May  aoth,  1885.] 

Dr.  E.  M.  Pettit  died  in  this  village  May  13,  1885,  at  the 
age  of  83  years. 

A  painful  sense  of  bereavement  pervaded  Our  village  on 
Wednesday  evening,  as  the  news  rapidly  spread  from  house 
to  house  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Pettit.  It  was  so  sudden,  and 
took  all  by  surprise.  And  yet  every  one  seemed  to  say  in 
thought  or  word,  as  the  news  was  broken  to  them,  "blessed 
are  the  pure  in  heart. ' '  He  expressed  regret  at  not  being 
able  to  enjoy  a  social  gathering  on  Saturday  at  the  house  of 
a  septuagenarian  friend.  It  did  not  seem  possible  that  he 
was  so  near  the  shore  from  which  he  was  so  soon  to  pass  to 
the  other  side.  But  an  All  Wise  Providence  had  numbered 
his  days  without  the  usual  premonitions  attending  such  a 
departure. 

Dr.  Eber  M.  Pettit  was  born  in  Pompey,  Onondaga  Co., 
May  5,  1802.  He  had  just  passed  his  83d  birthday  when 
the  summons  came.  At  an  early  day  he  came  to  Fredonia 
with  his  father,  Dr.  James  Pettit.  .  When  still  a  young  man 
he  went  to  Versailles  to  engage  in  business,  where  he  lived 
for  many  years. 

Dr.  James  Pettit,  the  father,  had  compounded  an  Eye 
Salve  which  proved  to  be  an  excellent  remedy  for  sore  eyes 
and  local  inflammations,  and  which  the  son  manufactured. 
It  was  found  so  meritorious  that  it  finally  attained  a  world  - 
wide  reputation,  and  gave  a  competence  to  the  manu- 
facturer. 

More  than  sixty  years  ago  he  became  a  prominent  agent 
and  conductor  on  the  Underground  Railroad.  Many  a 
fleeing  fugitive  from  slavery  has  found  an  asylum  and  safe 


THE  TJNDEHGROrXD  RAILROAD.  305 

con  duel  to  liberty  through  his  instrumentality.  On  the  one 
of  the  four  principal  lines  with  which  he  was  connected, 
many  fugitives  were  aided  when  on  their  way  to  Canada., 
numbering  on  all  the  lines  to  some  thousands.  His  position 
was  often  attended  with  peril.  The  fugitive  slave  law  of 
1850  imposed  a  fineof$i,ooo  for  selling  or  giving  away  a 
meal  of  victuals  to  one  of  these  fugitives.  Some  of  the 
noblest  and  purest  men  iii  the  country  suffered  these 
penalties,  and  even  death,  for  violation  of  this  inhuman  law. 
Dr.  P.  never  suffered  any  of  these  severe  penalties,  though 
he  has  often  said  that  if  the  law  had  been  enforced  against 
him,  he  would  have  been  bankrupt  many  times  over. 

About  five  or  six  years  after  the  war,  when  his  com- 
mission in  this  service  of  humanity  had  expired  by  virtue  of 
the  Emancipation  proclamation,  the  company  broken  up  and 
the  stock  "divided  among  the  passengers,"  he  was  im- 
portuned to  write  out  the  history  of  some  of  these  most  re- 
markable escapes.  The  history  of  '  'The  Underground  Rail- 
road" was  written,  in  a  series  of  numbers  of  the  Fredonia 
Censor.  They  were  charmingly  written,  and  attracted 
much  attention.  Some  years  later,  in  1870,  the  sketches 
were  published  in  a  small  volume,  and  man)-  copies  dis- 
tributed among  his  friends,  who  will  keep  them  as  choice 
memorials  of  his  philanthropy  and  self-sacrificing  nature. 

He  also  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  Indians, 
on  the  borders  of  whose  reservation  he  resided  for  many  years. 
He  was  their  trusted  counselor  and  friend,  and  aid^d  to 
procure  the  necessary  legislation  for  the  protection  of  the 
Reservation  and  the  preservation  of  their  rights.  He  was 
the  projector  of  the  Reservation  school  and  the  Superinten- 
dent over  twenty  years.  He  chase  for  teachers  those  who 
took  an  interest  in  their  welfare  and  progress. 

In  the  Thomas  Asylum,  organized  for  the  care  and 
education  of  the  Indian  orphans  in  the  State,  he  took  a 
deep  interest.  He  was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  institu- 
tion and  a  trustee  and  treasurer  for  twenty-nine  years  from 
its  commencement.  He  served  faithfully  and  without  pay, 
and  was  regarded  by  all  the  beneficiaries  with  almost  filial 


306  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

affection.     It  is  one  of  the  best  eleemosynary  institutions  in 
the  state,  and  reflects  great  credit  on  its  management. 

In  every  work  of  philanthropy  when  he  had  opportunity, 
his  heart  and  hand  were  engaged  with  heartfelt  earnestness. 
In  this  he  was  no  respecter  of  persons.  In  his  benevolent 
work  his  best  services  were  rendered  without  regard  to 
distinctions  of  race  or  color.  His  kind  heart  and  hand  were 
ever  open  to  the  needs  of  humanity.  No  one,  we  venture 
to  say,  in  his  large  circle  of  acquaintances,  ever  knew  a 
nobler  or  more  unselfish  man.  In  his  unostentatious 
charities  to  the  poor,  he  was  most  exemplary.  Very  often 
the  recipients  were  unaware  who  was  the  giver. 

Early  in  life  he  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church, , 
to  which  he  was  fervently  devoted,  and  )-et  with  a  liberality 
that  recognized  the  image  of  the  Master  under  all  circum- 
stances, in  all  walks  of  life,  without  regard  to  creed  or  de- 
nominational name. 

There  was  integrity  of  principle  manifested  through  all 
his  long  and  useful  life.  He  dared  to  do  right  though  he 
should  stand  alone  with  all  the  world  'against  him.  He 
would  be  true  to  his  conscientious  convictions  '  'though  the 
heavens  should  fall."  He  was  a  firm  believer  in  "the 
higher  law."  His  life  was  one  of  faith  and  trust,  and  his 
death  that  of  the  righteous,  and  to  their  reward  he  has  gone. 

The  fleeing  fugitive  from  slavery,  the  red  man  whose 
cause  he  championed,  the  poor  who  received  aid  from  his 
bountiful  hand,  the  philanthropist  in  whose  circle  he  was 
such  a  conspicuous  example,  the  Christian  who  has  "respect 
to  the  recompense  of  reward"  in  the  life  beyond,  will  all 
enshrine  Irs  memory  in  their  inner  hearts,  and  will  mourn 
his  departure  with  heartfelt  grief,  and  yet  will  rejoice  that 
the  great  Giver  of  all  good  has  vouchsafed  to  them  such  a 
friend. 

The  following  is  from  the  introduction  to  the  Underground 
Railroad  sketches  by  W.  McKinstry: 

Slavery  in  the  United  States  after  the  Fugitive  Slave  law 
was  enacted,  assumed  its  most  hideous  aspect.  When  in 
colonial  times  it  pervaded  more  or  less  all  the  colonies,  it 
was  not  regarded  as  a  special  source  of  profit,  and  the  value 


THE   UNDERGROUND    RAILROAD.  307 

was  but  little  more  than  nominal.  After  the  adoption  of 
the  Constitution,  State  after  State  provided  for  its  abolition 
till  it  was  filially  limited  to  the  States  south  of  Mason  & 
Dixon's  line  and  the  Ohio  river.  The  invention  of  the 
cotton  gin  and  the  profitableness  of  the  culture  of  cane  and 
cotton  enhanced  the  value  of  slave  property,  and  so  far  in- 
creased the  demand  for  this  kind  of  labor  that  the  raising 
of  slaves  for  the  Sonthern  market  became  a  large  source  of 
income  to  the  northern  Slave  States.  In  process  of  time 
they  were  held  as  mere  chattels,  without  legal  rights,  and 
could  not  make  bargains,  marriage  contracts,  or  perform 
any  act  whatever  in  which  the  law  granted  them  any  pro- 
tection. In  the  eye  of  the  law  they  were  as  much  property 
as  horses  and  cattle.  This  legal  ownership  enabled  the 
masters  to  supply  the  slave  auctions  with  human  chattels, 
and  caused  great  anguish  to  the  poor  wretches  who  were 
subject  to  sale  and  separation  of  kindred  with  no  legal  re- 
dress against  any  cruelty  which  might  be  inflicted.  In  the 
District  of  Columbia  was  a  large  slave  mart,  but  it  was  so 
repugnant  to  Northern  sentiments  that  finally  the  traffic  was 
abolished  there,  but  was  continued  at  Alexandria,  which 
was  re-ceded  to  Virginia. 

At  an  early  date  the  moral  sense  of  many  of  the  people  of 
the  North  was  aroused  to  the  enormity  of  the  crime  of 
slavery  and  measures  were  taken  for  its  abolition.  The  first 
slaves  brought  to  this  country  were  sold  from  a  Dutch  vessel 
at  Jamestown,  Va.,  in  1619.  There  were  twenty  of  them. 
From  that  time  up  to  1776  three  hundred  thousand  were 
imported.  In  the  Continental  Congress  it  was  resolved  that 
no  more  slaves  should  be  brought  to  this  counntry,  but  on 
the  adoption  of  the  Constitution,  Congress  was  prohibited 
from  abolishing  the  slave  trade  till  1808.  In  the  meantime 
Anti-Slavery  Societies'  were  formed  in  several  States,  and 
Benj.  Franklin  was  President  of  such  an  organization.  The 
Quakers  persistently  protested  against  human  bondage,  and 
petitioned  the  Convention  to  provide  in  the  Constitution  for 
its  abolition.  It  was  supposed  at  that  time  that  human 
bondage  would  cease  in  a  few  years.  In  this  philan- 
thropists were  disappointed,  as  its  rapid  growth  will  show. 
In  1790  as  seen  by  the  census  the  slaves  numbered  697,897, 
which  was  more  than  double  the  number  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

In  1800  there  were     893,000.  In  1840  there  were  2,487,455. 

"  1810                      1,191,364.  "  1850                     3,204,313. 

"  1820                      1,538.035.  "  1860                      3,952,608. 
"  1830           "         2,009.043. 


$08  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES', 

In  1.861  the  war  commenced  between  the  Northern  and 
Southern  States,  which  resulted  in  the  abrogation  of  all 
property  title  to  more  than  four  millions  of  human,  beings  in 
the  United  States  and  territories. 

As  one  after  another  the  Northern  States  abolished 
slavery,  they  became  an  asylum  for  fugitives  from  the 
institution  in  the  Southern  States.  On  the  4th  of  July, 
1827,  all  slaves  held  in  the  State  of  New  York  were  set  at 
liberty  by  an  act  passed  in  1817.  Thereafter  all  the  States 
bordering  on  the  lakes  and  rivers  between  the  United  States 
and  Canada  were  free  States,  In  all  these  States  were  found 
friends  of  the  oppressed  race,  who  desired  their  emancipation, 
and  the  fugitives  from  slavery  found  assistance  and  pro- 
tection among  these  philanthropists,,  a  large  number  of 
whom  were  Quakers  who  had  always  earnestly  protested 
against  human  bondage.  Still  the  refugees  from  slavery 
were  not  safe  in  the  free  States.  The  Constitution  provided 
for  their  surrender,  and  the  U.  S.  laws  designated  the 
manner  of  procedure.  Rewards  were  offered  for  their 
return,  and  many  people  were  found  who  for  the  pecuniary 
inducements  were  willing  to  participate  in  this  business. 
The  fugitives  were  not  secure  till  they  reached  the  soil  of 
Canada.  An  effort  was  made  for  a  treaty  with  Great  Britain 
.to  secure  their  return  from  Canada,  but  without  success. 

After  the  passage  of  the  fugitive  slave  law,  the  danger  of 
capture  was  enhanced  and  many  left  the  free  States  for 
greater  safety  who  had  long  been  residents  in  them. 

Notwithstanding  the  rewards  and  penalties  of  the  law, 
fugitives  still  continued  to  escape,  and  endured  untold 
suffering  in  pursuing  their  trackless  course,  often  through 
an  unbroken  wilderness,  guided  by  the  north  star  to  the 
land  of  freedom  beyond  the  dominion  of  the  stars  and  stripes. 

For  some  forty  years  these  pilgrims  to  ,the  land  of  liberty 
made  their  way  through  the  Northern  States  and  across  the 
border.  Scattered  through  the  country  were  humanitarian 
people  who  believed  in  the  "higher  law,"  and  that  the 
complexion  of  the  individual  should  not  exclude  him  from 
the  enjoyment  of  his  "inalienable  rights."  These  people 
protected  the  fleeing  fugitive,  secreted  him  from  his  pur- 
suers, and  conducted  him  from  station  to  station  till  he 
was  landed  in  Canada.  The  secrecy  with  which  they 
managed  the  matter  and  the  certainty  of  the  delivery  of  the 
passengers  on  their  line,  gave  by  common  consent  the  name 
of  the  Underground  Railroad.  The  number  of  those  who 
escaped  is  a  wonder,  in  view  of  the  difficulties  encountered. 


THE   UNDERGROUND    RAILROAD.  309 

It  is  estimated  by  a  prominent  refugee  from  Kentucky,  who 
made  his  escape  in  1836,  that  full}-  thirty- five  thousand 
fugitives  have  reached  Canada  from  the  Slave  States.  As 
would  be  expected,  only  the  shrewdest,  able  bodied  and 
most  enterprising  would  succeed.  They  secured  land  in  the 
home  of  their  adoption,  became  successful  fanners  and 
mechanics,  and  an  important  acquisition  to  the  Queen's 
dominions. 

The  success  of  the  Underground  Railroad  in  transporting 
colored  men  to  Canada  presents  a  striking  contrast  with 
that  of  the  African  colonization  scheme.  The  Colonization 
Society  was  organized  in  1816 — man}*-  years  before  the 
Underground  Railroad  was  instituted.  From  the  time  of 
that  organization  to  1857,  a  period  of  forty  years,  there  were 
9,502  emigrants  sent  to  Africa,  of  whom  3,676  were  born 
free,  326  purchased  their  own  liberty  and  5,500  were 
emancipated  on  condition  of  being  sent  to  Africa.  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  nearly  four  times  as  many  emigrated  to 
Canada  as  to  Liberia,  and  in  developing  the  soil,  building 
churches,  schoolhouses,  manufacturing  establishments,  and 
the  surroundings  of  comfortable  homes,  and  the  facilities  for 
the  enjoyment  of '  'life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness, ' ' 
the  Wilberforce  Colony  will  compare  favorably  with  Liberia 
and  Sierra  Leone,  though  it  is  not  doubted  that  African 
colonization  has  exerted  a  beneficial  influence  on  the  dark 
shores  of  the  African  continent.  The  Underground  Rail- 
road, it  will  be  seen,  has  done  much  the  greatest  work  in 
behalf  of  human  liberty. 

The  conductors  on  this  route  were  some  of  the  noblest, 
self-sacrificing  men  the  world  ever  saw.  No  civil  penalties 
dismayed  them.  They  boldly  proclaimed  by  deeds  of  moral 
heroism  and  self-sacrifice  their  faith  in  the  higher  law, 
before  which  human  statutes .  were  impotent  when  human 
liberty  was  at  stake. 


3TO  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES, 


FREDONIA  ACADEMY. 


[Letter  from  one  of  the  early  Principals  of  the  Academy.} 

CHICAGO,  May  i,  1890. 

No  peiiod  of  my  life  has  absorbed  so  much  thought  as  the 
years  spent  in  Fredouia  Academy. 

No  period  has  afforded  so  much  pleasure  as  reports  of  the 
well  doing  and  prosperity  of  my  former  pupils.  In  their 
sorrows  and  bereavements  I  have  felt  a  desire  to  share.  To- 
meet  one  of  them,  as  occasionally  occurs  after  a  separation  of 
nearly  half  a  century,  is  an  indescribable  pleasure. 

Watching  their  progress  in  their  varied  callings  as 
opportunity  afforded,  I  have  been  led  to  exclaim  "what  a 
grand  army  has  gone  from  that  unpretending  structure  to 
fight  the  battle  of  life  each  in  his  or  her  respective  calling  ? 
What  clime  where  their  influence  for  good  has  not  been 
felt? 

North  America  from  Victoria  to  the  everglades  of  Florida; 
South  America  from  Mexico  to  Brazil;  Europe,  Asia, 
Africa  and  the  islands  of  the  seas  have  in  one  form  or 
another  been  recipients  of  their  good  works. 

A  governor  of  the  Empire  State,  whose  patriotic  services 
to  the  Union  in  the  Senate  during  the  Nation's  conflict  with 
treason,  has  clad  his  memory  with  immortelles;  Members  of 
Congress  and  legislators  in  many  state's;  Judges  of  the 
various  courts;  ministers  of  the  Gospel;  instructors  in  all 
departments  of  science;  soldiers  who  surrendered  their  lives 
to  the  cause  of  the  Union  and  universal  freedom;  mission- 
aries at  home  and  in  heathen  lands;  and  last,  but  funda- 
mental in  the  list,  the  producers  of  the  staff  of  life  and  its 
accompaniments,  including  the  modest  lad  from  Shumla  and 
his  twelve  hundred  acre  wheat  field  in  the  N.  W.  Without 
such  the  world  would  still  be  the  home  of  wild  beasts  and 
savages.  Such  are  some  of  the  results  of  the  work  of  the 
hardy  pioneers  who  erected  the  Academy  building. 


FREDOXIA    ACADEMY.  31 1 

The  youth  who  occupied  those  hard  benches  and  demon- 
strated their  ancestry  in  carving  the  desks  with  the  omni- 
present jack-knife  from  Yankeedom,  in  later  years  have 
carved  for  themselves  a  place  in  the  annals  of  this  wonderful 
nation. 

The  history  of  the  eleven  thousand  who  attended  the 
Academy  and  their  offspring  during  the  sixty  years  of  its 
existence,  will  find  no  end  till  the  close  of  time.  The  moral 
stamina  and  graces  of  departed  fathers  and  mothers  will 
remain  with  their  children  and  be  transmitted  to  the  last 
generation. 

To  the  dear  old  Academy  which  faithfully  sheltered  its 
occupants  for  sixty  years,  we  say  farewell,  hoping  its 
successor  may  attain  as  good  record  during  sixty  years  to 
come. 

F.  A.  REDINGTON. 

NOTE. — The  Academy  building  was  demolished  in  1890  to  give 
place  for  the  new  Village  Hall. 


312  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


THE  IRREPRESSIBLE  CONFLICT. 


[From  a  lecture  delivered  at  Academy  Hall,  Fredonia,  Dec.    12, 
1860,  by  W.  McKiNsTRY.] 

The  transition  from  a  state  of  intolerance  and  bigotry  to 
one  of  toleration  and  liberty,  is  of  gradual  accomplishment. 
The  tree,  of  liberty  reaches  not  its  maturity  in  a  day,  nor 
spreads  its  branches  over  the  land  in  a  single  revolution. 
Years  of  patient  toil  are  requisite  to  plant  the  seed  and  for 
it  to  become  firmly  rooted  in  a  genial  soil.  However 
favorable  apparently  sudden  changes  of  government  may  be 
to  the  progress  of  liberal  principles,  time  is  necessary  to 
make  them  permanent  and  enduring  in  their  results.  In 
fact,  a  revolution  in  governments  is  but  the  outward  mani- 
festation of  what  may  have  been  progressing  for  centuries 
in  the  minds  of  the  people  who  effect  these  political  changes. 

It  is  only  by  contrast  of  the  present  with  the  past,  that  we 
are  enabled  to  judge  of  the  progress  which  has  been  made. 
Like  the  floating  of  a  vessel  on  the  tide,  we  perceive  not 
that  we  move  only  by  comparison  with  objects  within  our 
view.  Revolutions  do  not  go  backward.  Those  which  are 
permanent  in  their  character,  and  are  rooted  in  principle, 
are  effected  without  the  din  of  arms  or  clashing  of  steel.  It 
is  the  silent,  powerful  struggles  of  giant  jiiinds,  in  contact 
with  like  forces  only,  that  produce  the  real  revolutions. 
How  few  nations  there  are  who  are  fitted  for  a  free  govern- 
ment, yet  this  lack  of  fitness  is  entirely  of  a  mental  and 
moral  character. 

There  are  ahvays  those  who  have  so  much  veneration  for 
the  practices  and  usages  of  the  past,  that  the)T  often  question 
whether  real  progress  has  been  made  and  who  would  have 
the  ecclesiastical  policy  of  the  dark  ages  give  the  creeds  and 
usages  of  the  present.  To  some  the  past  seems  to  look 
brighter  the  more  distant  it  recedes;  and  the  farther  back 


THE   IRREPRESSIBLE   CONFLICT.  Jlj 

they  can  trace  their  system  of  belief,  the  more  confidence 
they  appear  to  have  in  the  correctness  of  their  views.  This 
is  true  of  many  politicians  as  well  as  theologians,  who 
oppose  reforms  and  innovations,  of  whatever  character.  We 
\vho  are  full  of  hope  and  hail  innovations  and  the  relinquish- 
ment  of  former  superstitions  as  the  harbingers  of  better  and 
brighter  days,  can  throw  a  broad  mantle  of  charity  over  the 
persecutions  for  opinions  enacted  by  our  ancestors.  We  are 
ready  to  excuse  much  of  their  bigotry  and  intolerance  on 
account  of  the  age  of  ignorance  and  superstition  in  which 
they  lived,  and  the  consequent  bias  of  their  education.  Had 
they  the  light  of  the  present  day,  and  "the  full  enjoyment  of 
a  free  press  and  free  speech  which  are  now  so  jealously 
guarded,  we  readily  concede  that  they  would  have  refrained 
from  the  deeds  of  darkness  and  illiberality  which  history 
records  of  them. 

Of  superstition  and  bigotry  our  ancestors,  both  in  England 
and  this  country  had  their  full  share.  I  propose  to  present 
some  of  the  facts  of  history,  a  contrast  of  which  with  the 
present  will  better  enable  us  to  appreciate  the  progress 
which  has  been  made  within  the  last  300  years. 

By  the  assumption  of  ecclesiastical  power  in  England 
during  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  prelates  were  appointed 
by  royal  authority  alone.  By  it  ecclesiastical  councils  were 
summoned,  regulated,  prorogued  and  dissolved;  and  with- 
out that  authority  the  canons  of  the  church  had  no  force. 
In  1661,  during  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  the  Commons 
resolved  that  every  member  should  on  pain  of  expulsion, 
take  the  sacrament,  according  to  the  forms  prescribed  by  the 
old  liturgy,  and  the  covenant  should  be  burned  by  the 
hangman.  An  act  was  passed  declaring  that  in  no 
extremity  could  the  Houses  be  justified  in  withstanding  the 
King  by  force,  and  every  officer  was  required  to  take  an 
oath  that  he  held  resistance  to  the  King's  authority  to  be  in 
all  cases  unlawful.  A  peculiar  form  of  ordination  was  made 
an  indespensable  qualification  for  church  preferment,  and 
for  non-conformity,  two  thousand  dissenting  ministers  were 
driven  from  their  benefices  in  one  day.  It  was  made  a  crime 


3H  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

to  attend  a  dissenting  place  of  worship.  A  single  justice  of 
the  peace  might  convict  without  a  jury,  and  might  for  the 
third  offence  pass  sentence  of  transportation  beyond  the  seas, 
and  to  other  countries  than  New  England,  where  dissenters 
would  find  friends.  A  return  before  the  expiration  of  the 
term  of  banishment  was  a  capital  offence.  Those  ministers 
who  were  deprived  of  their  parishes  for  non-conformity,  and 
who  refused  to  take  the  test  imposed  upon  them,  were  pro- 
hibited from  coming  within  five  miles  of  any  incorporated 
town  or  one  which  was  represented  in  parliament,  or  where 
they  had  resided  as  ministers.  "The  jails, "  says  Macauley, 
"were  soon  crowded  with  dissenters,  among  whom  were 
some  of  whose  genius  and  virtue  any  Christian  community 
might  well  be  proud." 

In  1575  an  act  of  Parliament  was  passed  providing  that 
"all  persons  who  do  not  come  to  church  or  chapel  where 
common  prayer  is  said  according  to  the  act  of  uniformity, 
shall  forfeit  20  shillings  per  month  to  the  Queen,  and  shall 
suffer  imprisonment  till  it  is  paid."  Those  who  should  be 
absent  twelve  months,  in  addition  to  their  former  fines,  were 
required  to  give  bonds,  with  two  sufficient  securities,  with  a 
penalty  of  200  shillings  for  future  compliance.  Every 
school  teacher  who  should  not  come  to  common  prayer,  was 
to  forfeit  10  shillings  per  month,  be  disabled  from  teaching 
school,  and  suffer  a  year's  imprisonment. 

In  1593,  a  law  was  passed  providing  that  any  person  over 
1 6  years  of  age,  who  obstinately  refused  for  the  space  of  one 
month  to  repair  to  some  church  or  chapel,  or-  usual  place  of 
common  prayer,  or  who  at  any  time,  by  writing,  printing, 
or  expressing  words,  should  dissuade  others  from  coming  to 
church,  or  who  should  be  present  at  any  unlawful  assembly 
or  conventicle,  under  color  of  any  pretence  or  any  exercise" 
of  religion,  should  be  committed  to  prison  without  bail  till 
he  should  yield,  and  till  he  should  make  a  full  declaration 
of  conformity.  A  refusal  to  yield  within  three  months, 
exposed  the  accused  to  perpetual  banishment.  For  a 
refusal  to  depart  from  the  realm  within  the  time  prescribed, 


THE    IRREPRESSIBLE   CONFLICT.  315 

or  to  return  without  license,  the  penalty  of  death,  was  in- 
curred, without  the  benefit  of  clergy. 

I  might  quote  many  other  proofs  of  the  bigotry  and  in- 
tolerance of  that  age  of  twilight  between  the  dark  ages  and 
the  more  effulgent  light  which  eventually  followed  the 
Reformation.  But  these  will  serve  as  specimens  of  the 
attempts  to  control  the  mind  and  conscience  during  those 
periods  when  the  work  was  in  progress  which  was  to 
develop  the  benign  results  that  followed  the  landing  of  the 
Pilgrims  on  the  bleak  shores  of  New  England. 

This  favored  county,  though  by  far  the  most  free  and 
liberal  in  the  world,  has  not  yet  reached  that  climax  to 
which  she  is  destined.  There  are  subjects  in  some  parts  of 
our  own  land,  which  may  not  be  discussed  under  penalty  of 
tar  and  feathers,  banishment,  or  the  gibbet.  The  abolition 
of  slavery  has  long  been  a  prohibited  subject.  True  it  is, 
that  the  line  of  demarkation  between  that  freedom  wrhich 
tends  to  enlarge  the  mind  and  correct  our  errors — which 
receives  innovations  without  prejudice  or  condemnation  on 
account  of  their  origin,  and  that  conservatism  which  rejects 
everything  that  has  not  been  tested  by  the  experience  of  the 
fathers  in  ages  past,  is  a  point  very  difficult  to  define.  No 
man,  or  body  of  men,  can  rightfully  claim  infallibility,  and 
none  in  whatever  position  of  honor  or  trust  they  may  be 
placed,  are  above  the  jealous  scrutiny  of  their  fellow  beings. 
The  most  absurd  ideas  have  had  able  defenders.  Legislators 
and  ecclesiastical  bodies  have  recklessly  trampled  on 
inalienable  rights,  which  course  more  enlightened  successors 
have  condemned.  While  we  abhor  the  intolerance  of  our 
less  enlightened  ancestry,  we  should  more  cheerfully  concede 
to  them  those  stern  and  unswerving  principles  which  have 
induced  progress  step  by  step,  to  a  more  liberal  and 
enlightened  period.  We  all  condemn  the  fanaticism  of  those 
who  put  to  death  the  unfortunate  beings  charged  with 
witchcraft,  in  the  early  days  of  New  England,  though  in 
doing  thus,  they  pursued  the  same  course  that  was  practised 
in  the  country  from  which  they  were  driven,  but  with  far 
less  severity.  We  loathe  the  illiberality  which  drove  Roger 


EDITORIAL   MTSCEZL ANTES'. 

Williams  into  exile  for  holding  sentiments  so  far  in  advance 
of  his  age,  but  we  can  still  admire  as  we  reflect  how  readily 
his  persecutors-  abandoned  their  course  when  a  more  en- 
lightened public  sentiment  prevailed,  and  adopted  the  very- 
principles  for  which,  this  pioneer  of  freedom  suffered  in 
exile.  True,  they  tenaciously  held  to  their  errors  for  a  long 
time;  but  the  change  has  been  tlie  more  radical  and  per- 
ceptible. From  being  as  intolerant,  perhaps,  as  any  of  the 
colonies,  we  now  see  in  them  the  most  perfect  exemplifica- 
tion of  the  spirit  of  liberty  and.  toleration  in  the  world.  It 
is  the  willingness  to  receive  truth,  the  cheerfulness  with 
which  all  prejudices  are  abandoned,  principles  and  innova- 
tions examined  on  their  own  intrinsic  merits,  which  should 
command  our  admiration:  We  behold  them  driven  by  in- 
tolerance from  the  homes,  and  graves  of  their  ancestors,  and 
undergoing  privations  to  secure  an  asylum  where  they 
hoped  to  be  able  '  'to  worship  God  with  none  to  molest  or 
make  them  afraid," — with  no  fear  of  the  spy  entering  their 
assemblages  for  worship,  or  the  torture  of  friends  to  extort 
an  exposure  of  their  places  of  meeting.  They  wished  to 
enjoy  those  privileges,  to  them  so  precious,  because  so  dearly 
bought,  in  peace  and  quietude.  It  is  not  strange  that  they 
looked  with  a  jealous  eye  on  the  intrusion  of  those  of  a 
different  faith,  into  the  circle  they  had  perilled  so  much  thus 
exclusively  to  enjoy.  But  they  were  far  in  advance  of  the 
mother  country  in  the  promotion  of  the  principles  of  liberty, 
and  theirs  is  the  land  where  freedom  is  most  zealously 
guarded.  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  settled  by  the 
Catholics  and  Quakers,  at  a  later  date,  were  more  tolerant 
than  New  England  with  regard  to  other  sects,  and  to  the 
Romanists  must  be  credited  the  establishment  of  the  first 
tolerant  colony  on  our  shores.  The  other  colonies,  except 
the  above  named  and  the  Providence  Plantations,  were  as 
bigoted  as  any  of  those  of  New  England.  Virginia  and  New 
York,  had  their  full  share  of  illiberality,  which  is  to  be 
traced  to  the  same  causes  which  prevailed  in  New  England, 
and  are  entitled  to  the  same  mantle  of  charity  which  their 
more  enlightened  successors  so  cheerfully  yield  to  them. 


THE   IRREPRESSIBLE    CONFLICT.  317 

In  1618  a  law  was  enacted  in  the  colony  of  Virginia,  that 
every  person  should  go  to  church  on  Sundays  and  Holy 
days,  or  be  a  slave  to  the  colony  the  following  week.  For 
the  second  offence  he  was  to  be  a  slave  for  a  month,  and  for 
the  third,  a  year.  In  1642  a  law  was  passed  forbidding  any 
other  than  an  Episcopal  minister  to  officiate  in  the  colony. 
One  clergyman  was  forbidden  to  preach  under  a  penalty  of 
500  shillings  and  a  year's  imprisonment.  It  was  against 
this  kind  of  intolerance,  at  a  later  day,  that  the  thunder 
tones  of  Patrick  Henry's  eloquence  were  heard.  Three 
Baptist  clergymen  were  indicted  at  Fredericksburg  for 
preaching  contrary  to  statute.  Henry,  hearing  of  this,  rode 
15  miles  to  volunteer  for  their  defence.  Such  was  his 
burning  eloquence  and  power  of  argument,  that  they  were 
discharged. 

But  I  have  alluded  sufficiently  to  the  past.  It  is  not  wise 
to  dwell  on  the  errors  of  our  ancestors  save  with  a  view  to 
avoid  them  ourselves.  We  may  better  guard  against  the 
introduction  of  error  into  our  social  system,  by  witnessing 
the  results  of  similar  errors  in  the  past. 

L/iberal  principles  in  the  masses  do  not  necessarily  keep 
pace  with  the  government.  The  constitutions  and  laws  may 
most  strictly  guard  them,  and  yet  many  of  the  practices  of 
society  may  be  very  intolerant.  They  are  not  entirely  the 
result  of  an  enlightened  intellect  and  cultivated  moral 
faculties.  History  shows  that  a  man  may  be  learned,  and 
yet  be  a  bigot;  he  may  suppose  himself  a  strictly  conscien- 
tious man,  and  yet  be  very  illiberal  and  narrow-minded. 
The  habit  of  taking  enlarged  and  liberal  views  of  subjects, 
depends  much  on  early  education  and  the  state  of  society  in 
which  the  young  and  plastic  mind  receives  its  early  biases. 

True  toleration  regards  all  mankind  as  one  brother- 
hood. That  is  intolerant  which  limits  the  kindly  feelings  of 
our  natures  by  the  bounds  of  mountains,  rivers,  lakes  or 
oceans,  or  stultifies  generous  emotions  towards  those  of  a 
different  language,  country  of  birth,  or  complexion,  merely 
from  those  circumstances.  In  fact,  whatever  tends  to 
trammel  the  free  action  of  the  mind,  in  religious  belief, 


EDITORIAL 

whether  by  creeds,  covenants,  or  other  tests  unauthorized! 
by  the  word  of  Truth,  or  religious  rites  and  ceremonies  where 
the  authority  is  a  matter  of  question,  tends  to  limit  or  bias' 
the  free  action  of  an  ingenuous  inquiry  after  truth.  All 
opposers  of  innovations,  merely  as-  such,  though  generally 
deemed  discreet  and  cautious,  too  frequently  throw  obstacles"' 
in  the  way  of  the  advancement  of  society.  The  disenthral- 
ment  ol  mind  from  the  influence  of  error,  often  requires  the 
strongest  evidence,  and  the  clearest  and  most  cogent  argu- 
ment, to  overcome  existing  predilections  and  prejudices.- 
This  is  one  of  the  great  causes  of  the  slow  progress  with 
which  liberal  views  obtain  in  the  world.  We  now  wonder 
at  the  bigotry  and  superstition  of  our  ancestors;  and  future 
generations  may  look  with  equal  wonder  at  our  tardy  per- 
ceptions of  truth.  Yet  those  conservative  persons  who- 
guard  so  jealously  the  customs  of  former  days-  are  useful  in 
their  place.  Without  them  society  might  run  to  that  excess- 
which  characterizes  the  most  fanatical  associations  that 
spring  up  in-  this  enlightened  age.  The  natural  activity  of 
the  mind  is  constantly  developing  new  theories,,  and  new 
proofs  of  old  ones,  which  are  not  to  be  received  because  of 
their  novelty,  or  rejected  because  they  were  not  thought  of 
in  the  days  of  Solomon.  We  are  to  receive  with  caution, 
judge  with  candor,  and  scrutinize  with  care.  Free  dis- 
cussion is  the  crucible  in  which  the  merits  of  innovation, 
are  tested.  Our  government  is  an  innovation,  and 
its  failure  to  answer  the  purposes  for  which  it  was 
tormedr  has  long  been  prophesied  by  the  Conservatives  of 
the  old  world.  Every  new  power  diffused  among  the  people 
is  an  innovation,  and  is  attended  thus  far  by  the  happiest 
results.  Our  free  schools,  and  inventions  and  improvements 
of  every  kind,  testify  to  the  activity  of  the  mind,  ever  eager 
to  try  or  invent  something  new. 

Freedom  of  thought  is  the  mainspring  of  all  progress, 
religious,  political  and  mechanical.  Truth  never  shuns  the 
light,  or  asks  for  a  limitation  of  free  discussion.  Freedom 
of  speech  and  the  press  are  the  bulwarks  of  our  free  institu- 
tions. He  who  opposes  these,  strikes  at  the  pillars  upon 


THE   IRREPRESSIBLE   CONTFLICT.  319. 

which  the  liberties  of  our  country  rest,  prepares  for  the 
reign  of  terror,  and  the  rekindling  of  the  fires  of  the  auto- 
•da-fe  over  the  graves  of  our  free  institutions.  True  tolera- 
tion requires  candor  toward  an  opponent,  whatever  may  be 
his  views,  and  a  readiness  to  adopt  them  when  sufficient 
reasons  are  .presented.  He  who  maligns  the  motives  of 
others  merely  because  they  hold  to  different  views,  or  judges 
of  their  tenets  merely  by  the  sources  from  which  they 
emanate,  has  little  reason  to  mourn  over  the  obstinacy  of 
the  Mohammedan,  or  the  incredulity  of  the  Chinese,  on 
account  of  the  tenacity  with  which  they  adhere  to  the 
manners  and  customs  of  their  ancestors. 

With  candid  minds,  party  and  sectarian  divisions  are 
productive  of  good.  They  serve  to  bring  into  action  the 
latent  energies  of  the  mind — to  awaken  a  spirit  of  inquiry 
which  is  essential  to  the  advancement  of  society.  Change 
of  opinion,  when  there  are  honorable  reasons  for  it,  indicates 
candor  and  honesty;  while  a  blind  adherence  to  one's  views, 
contrary  to  argument  and  reason,  though  often  looked  upon 
as  an  evidence  of  firmness  and  constancy,  too  frequently 
evinces  a  degree  of  obstinacy  that  is  invulnerable  to  the 
penetration  or  perception  of  truth. 

Whatever  prevents  the  free  action  of  the  mind  which  is 
the  natural  prerogative  of  every  individual,  even  though  he 
be  in  the  minority  against  the  whole  world,  is  inimical  to 
the  stability  of  our  free  institutions,  and  the  general  progress 
of  truth.  Diversity  of  political  and  religious  views  are  a 
necessity  of  mental  activity  and  investigation.  They  are  a 
necessity  to  free  institutions.  We  can  find  uniformity  of 
political  views  in  Turkey,  in  Russia,  in  Egypt,  and  in  a 
great  part  of  Asia,  and  other  parts  of  the  world,  and  in  no 
country  such  a  diversity  as  in  our  own.  Nearly  the  same 
difference  exists  also  in  religious  tenets.  Yet  who  would 
exchange  the  free  institutions  of  this  country  for  those 
where  there  are  no  political  parties  or  sects  ?  The  ultraisms 
of  the  day  which  spring  up  spontaneously  owe  their  success 
not  so  much  to  the  liberty  of  conscience  as  to  the  opposition 
they  frequently  meet  with  by  the  intolerant  and  illiberal. 


32O  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

A  calm  and  considerate  examination  of  the  Utopian  theories 
so  frequently  presented  by  the  lovers  of  novelty,  would 
divest  fanaticism  of  its  power,  by  depriving  it  of  the 
martyrdom  which  it  costs  to  give  its  theories  importance  and 
popularity. 

For  wise  purposes  we  are  so  constituted  that  we  cannot 
all  think  alike.  We  may,  however,  exercise  forbearance 
and  liberality  towards  those  who  differ.  Through  the 
exercise  of  this  heaven-born  principle,  all  may  fulfill  the 
object  of  their  existence  without  compromising  the  great 
principle  of  freedom  of  thought.  We  all  owe  allegiance  to 
that  revealed  truth  which  we  cannot  lightly  regard  without 
incurring  the  displeasure  of  its  Author.  Each  individual 
may  carry  out  his  own  views,  so  far  as  is  consistent  with 
that  word  of  truth,  and  none  may  rightfully  impugn  his 
motives  or  throw  obstacles  in  his  way.  No  social  organiza- 
tion can  say,  because  you  do  not  conform  to  our  customs  and 
ceremonies,  you  are  therefore  without  the  pale  of  the 
mercy  of  Heaven.  No  such  prerogative  is  committed  to 
mortal  man. 

The  states  in  this  confederacy  are  bound  together  by  a 
common  constitution,  and  yet  on  such  general  principles 
that  a  great  degree  of  latitude  is  given  to  the  minor  com- 
pacts, in  the  formation  of  their  several  constitutions  and 
laws.  One  state  cannot  say  to  another,  because  you  uphold 
an  institution  which  we  do  not  approve,  we  cannot  fellow- 
ship you  in  the  Union — or  to  another  because  you  do  not 
adopt  our  free  school  system,  or  the  rights  of  suffrage  in  the 
manner  which  we  have  established,  we  cannot  remain  with 
you  in  the  Confederacy.  The  redemption  of  the  nation 
from  foreign  oppression  was  wrought  by  the  toils,  suffering 
and  blood  of  patriots  of  our  common  country,  and  its 
privileges  can  be  exclusively  claimed  by  none.  They  framed 
the  government,  and  dedicated  the  country  they  had 
ransomed  to  liberty — liberty  of  speech,  of  the  press,  and  of 
worshiping  our  Creator  according  to  the  dictates  of  our  own 
consciences.  They  made  no  provisions  for  subjects  which 


THE  IRHEFRESSrBLE   CONFLICT.  321 

anight  not  be  discussed.  "Liberty  and  Union,"  said  they. 
Libetty  the  descendants  of  the  Puritan  stock  will  have,  with  the 

I  'nion  if  they  can,  without  it  if  they  must. 
The  weapons  of  truth  are  not  those  of  war  and  bloodshed. 

It  asks  no  penal  statutes  for  its  protection,  though 
hecatoms  of  victims  have  been  offered  at  its  shrine,  when 
the  arm  of  political  power  has  been  arrayed  against  it. 
'"Let  truth  and  error  grapple,"  only  let  the  field  of  contest 
be  free  and  open  and  we  need  not  fear  the  result.  "The 
toleration  of  error  is  safe,  if  truth  is  left  free  to  combat  it. ' ' 
Let  mind  clash  with  mind  in  irrepressible  conflict.  Let  the 
whole  mass  of  intellect  be  brought  into  free  and  unrestrained 
action.  Let  the  schoolmaster  be  sent  abroad  to  develop  and 
awaken  its  latent  powers,  and  the  press  teem  with  new 
thoughts,  thrown  forth  for  examination  and  investigation. 
Let  the  mind  be  free  and  we  cannot  be  slaves.  He  whose 
soul  is  in  bondage  to  his  passions  and  prejudices  is  the  most 
abject  of  slaves.  Then  let  us  cherish  freedom  of  the  mind, 
as  the  basis  of  civil  and  religious  liberty — ever  remembering 
that  "whom  the  truth  makes  free  is  free  indeed." 


322  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


A  YEAR  OF  NIGHT. 


[The  following  true  story  was  written  for  the  Springfield  (Mass.) 
Union  some  years  ago.  It  describes  an  event  which  occurred  dur- 
ing the  apprenticeship  of  the  writer,  about  1835.] 

Norwood  was  one  of  those  pretty  villages,  '  'the  loveliest  of 
the  plain, ' '  which  has  been  historic  for  many  years.  Nearly 
200  years  before,  the  hardy  and  enterprising  pioneers  had 
pushed  their  way  westward  from  the  sea  coast  and  had 
commenced  a  settlement  here.  The  wide  valley  of  the  river 
spread  out  for  miles  along  its  course,  and  with  the  annual 
overflow  had  given  great  richness  of  soil,  and  the  alluvial 
depth  made  tillage  easy  and  remunerative.  Those  who 
founded  this  village  were  men  of  no  common  character. 
The  foundations  were  laid  in  deep  religious  thought  and 
principle,  which  ever  remained  as  a  guiding  star  to  their 
development  and  progress. 

At  the  time  of  which  I  speak  it  had  been  for  many  years 
a  central  place  of  business  and  influence  in  the  politics  of  the 
State.  Here  had  lived  a  governor,  who  had  exercised  wide 
influence  throughout  New  England  during  the  war  with 
England,  which  closed  some  17  years  before;  two  college 
presidents  had  gone  from  here,  Jonathan  Edwards  to  Prince- 
ton, and  Timothy  Dwight  to  Yale,  to  assume  the  respon- 
sibility of  molding  the  plastic  youth  of  those  early  times  to 
take  part  in  giving  character  to  the  nation,  and  many  of 
those  under  their  influence  have  acquired  a  world-wide 
reputation  for  good  or  evil.  Here  a  United  States  senator 
was  living  at  the  time,  also  a  physician  whose  name  is 
familiar, in  connection  with  medical  science  throughout  the 
civilized  world.  A  distinguished  American  historian  issued 
the  first  volume  of  his  History  of  the  United  States  while  a 
resident  here  and  on  the  hills  a  little  to  the  west,  lived  one 
of  the  greatest  of  American  poets  whose  "Thanatopsis"  and 
other  poems  were  first  published  in  the  village  paper. 


A    YEAR   OF    NIGHT.  323 

The  surroundings  of  this  beautiful  village  were  particularly 
charming.  About  two  miles  away,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  a  mountain  peak  reared  its  craggy  head  nearly 
1,000  feet  above  the  valley,  from  whose  summit  the  meadows 
with  their  varied  crops  presenting  different  colors  to  the  eye, 
were  spread  out  like  a  magnificent  carpet  of  variegated 
velvet  appearance.  Not  far  distant  was  Oxbow  village, 
which  the  majestic  river  nearly  encircled,  and  a  wide  street, 
straight  as  an  arrow,  and  level  as  a  floor,  shaded  with 
gigantic  elms,  crossed  the  peninsula  on  which  the  village 
was  built.  This  was  a  beautiful  place  not  unknown  to 
fame,  where  the  good  parson,  with  insticts  of  liberty  derived 
from  the  Cromwellian  time,  secreted  two  judges  who  had 
condemned  to  death  Charles  I  of  England,  and  who,  on 
restoration  of  Charles  II,  had  fled  to  the  colony  of  Massa- 
chusetts Bay  to  avoid  arrest  and  the  infliction  of  the  death 
penalty  for  adjudging  a  tyrant  worthy  of  death.  At  about 
this  time  a  distinguished  bishop,  and  a  noted  general  of 
Lookout  mountain  fame  were  spending  their  boyhood  days 
in  this  lovely  village. 

A  little  way  north  of  Oxbow  village,  on  a  conspicuous 
elevation,  were  college  buildings  where  the  youth  of  the 
central  and  western  part  of  the  state,  and  from  other  states, 
were  fitted  for  professional  work  and  "which  eminent  clergy- 
men, statesmen,  lawyers  and  physicians  have  looked  upon 
as  their  alma  mater.  A  little  way  south  from  the  mountain 
peak  was  subsequently  located  a  seminary  for  the  education 
of  women,  whose  founder  was  greatly  aided  in  her  enter- 
prise by  the  good  president  of  the  college,  who  made  appeals 
through  the  press  of  the  village  for  aid  in  the  great  work  of 
the  education  of  girls,  many  of  them  from  the  humbler 
walks  of  life. 

Here  the  venerable  parson  could  be  seen  daily  upon  the 
streets,  leaning  upon  his  staff,  dressed  in  continental  garb, 
with  long  stockings  fastened  at  the  knee,  with  his  silver 
plated  shoe  and  knee  buckles  glistening  in  the  sun,  while 
his  long  queue,  nicely  braided  and  tied  with  ribbon,  hung 
gracefully  over  his  coat  collar,  and  his  broad-brimmed  hat 


P4  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES'. 

made  him  the  observed 'of  observers,  presenting  a  picture  of 
the  continental  period.  He  was  too  old  and  infirm  to> 
perform  all  of  the  pastoral  duties,  but  on  every  Sabbath  he 
was  seen  going  to  church,  and  passing  on  to  the  pulpit,, 
which  was  ascended  by  several  steps,  taking  his  seat  under 
the  large  sounding  board  suspended  from  the  ceiling  over 
his  head.  With  faltering  voice  he  read  the  notices — the 
requests  for  prayer  for  the  sick,  or  thanks  from  those  who> 
had  recovered  from  sickness — all  of  which  were  remembered 
in  the  prayer  which  followed. 

At  this  time  there  were  four  boys  employed  in  an  establish- 
ment located  opposite  the  churchr  learning  the  printing 
trade.  To  the  youngest  of  these  our  .story  principally 
relates.  He  was  from,  a  neighboring  town,  and  his  parents 
being  in  straitened  circumstances,  though  very  respectable,, 
had  placed  their  son  here,  at  eleven  years  of  ager  to  acquire 
the  means  of  self  support  when  he  should  arrive  at  man- 
hood. He  was  a  bright  appearing  lad  and  acquired  great 
dexterity  in  his  business.  His  employer  was  unmarried  and 
placed  him,  with  the  other  boys,  under  the  charge  of  a 
widow,  who  took  a  motherly  care  of  him,  watched  over  him 
solicitously  and  saw  that  he  attended  church  and  Sabbath 
school  regularly,  and  that  his  lessons  were  well  prepared. 
Her  only  son  had  gone  from  her  a  few  years  before.  He 
was  a  wayward  boy,  and  the  last  she  heard  of  him  he  had 
gone  on  a  whaling  trip  to  the  Northern  Pacific  ocean.  The 
boy  now  in  her  charge  seemed  to  take  the  place  in  her 
home  of  her  own  lost  boy,  and  was  guarded  as  tenderly  as 
if  he  had  been  her  own  son. 

As  he  grew  to  manhood  he  became  what  might  be  called 
an  attractive  young  man.  He'  had  brown  hair,  dark  eyes, 
a  ruddy  glow  of  health  in  his  features,  and  a  fine  appearance 
altogether  which  won  the  admiration  of  his  companions  of 
the  gentler  sex.  His  employer  was  an  austere  man  who 
had  little  social  intercourse  with  the  boys  under  his  charge, 
though  in  after  years  he  took  much  interest  in  their  success. 
In  those  days  apprentices  wyorked  for  their  "board  and 


A    YEAR    OF    NIGHT.  325 

clothes,"  and  Henry's  wants  in  the  way  of  clothing  were 
not  provided  for  so  that  he  could  appear  in  a  presentable 
way  to  his  lady  friends.  He  was  scantily  clothed  in  winter, 
and  what  was  worn  was  mostly  the  discarded  garments  of 
his  employer,  which  his  kind  foster-mother  had  adapted,  so 
far  as  she  could,  to  his  use.  To  a  person  of  his  sensitive 
nature,  so  anxious  for  the  good  opinion  of  others,  especially 
of  his  young  lady  friends,  this  was  a  severe  trial.  Time 
passed  on,  and  social  attractions  grew  upon  him.  He  greatly 
enjoyed  society  and  longed  to  look  as  well  as  other  boys 
whose  parents  were  wealthy  and  with^  some  of  whom  he 
associated.  How  could  his  ambition  be  gratified  ? 

At  length,  a  series  of  robberies  took  place  in  the  village. 
Such  an  occurrance  was  very  unusual  in  that  quiet  place 
and  created  great  surprise.  A  jewelry  store  was  broken  into 
and  watches,  jewelry  and  money  had  been  stolen.  A  few 
nights  after  other  stores  were  entered  and  all  the  money  that 
could  be  found  wras  taken.  Who  could  the  depradator  be  ? 
Some  surmised  that  there  must  be  some  professional  thieves 
abroad  as  no  trace  was  left  behind  by  which  any  clue  could 
be  obtained.  The  transaction  seemed  to  be  shrouded  in 
mystery.  Some  time  afterward  a  ride  was  proposed  by  the 
young  people  of  the  place,  to  the  mountains  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  some  two  miles  distant.  It  was  a  steep  and 
rocky  ascent,  and  in  those  days  a  little  more  than  half  the  way 
up  could  be  made  by  teams,  while  the  steepest  part  was 
ascended  by  winding  foot  paths  among  the  rocks  and  shrubs, 
where  the  endurance  of  the  pedestrian  was  well  tested  be- 
fore reaching  the  summit.  Henry  (the  young  man  of  whom 
mention  has  been  made),  and  his  "best  girl"  were  of  the 
part}-.  They  lingered  on  the  mountain  top  looking  at  the 
beautiful  scenery.  The  iTieandering  river  flowing  by  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  formed  another  oxbow  just  before  leav- 
ing the  lovely  valley,  where  it  poured  swiftly  through  a 
gorge  in  lonely  solitude.  The  swift  currant  now  forms  the 
motive  power  to  a  thriving  city  where  the  hum  of  industry 
furnishes  employment  to  thousands  of  busy  operatives,  and 
the  peninsula  made  by  the  winding  river  is  no  longer  there, 


MISCELLANIES'. 

t-he  stream,  having  broken  over  the  sandy  barrier  and  with  a 
straight  course  passes  to  its  work  of  moving  the  machinery 
of  a  busy  manufacturing  city,,  while  a  railroad  with  its  long, 
serpentine  trains-  now  passes  over  a  portion  of  the  river  bed 
which  curved  so  gracefully  through  the  grassy  meadows.. 
The  party f  after  enjoying  a  golden  sunset  on  the  distant 
hills  and  valleys,  prepared  to  take  their  departure  from  the 
mountain  peak  to  the  village  below.  Just  before  starting,, 
Henry  was  observed  by  one  of  their  number  to  take  a  gold 
wratch  slyly  from  his  pocket.  Nothing  was  said  about  it 
then,  but  in  a  day  or  two  it  had  leaked  out.  Those  who- 
had  met  with  losses  had  interviews,  and  proposed  a  visit  to 
his  room  to  see  what  discoveries  could  be  made.  They 
went,  supposing  him  to  be  at  his  daily  employment.  What 
was  their  surprise  to  find  him  inr  with  the  spoils  spread  out 
on  a  table  before  him,  engaged  in  their  examination. 
Being  slightly  deaf  he  had  not  heard  their  approach,  till  the 
door  was  opened.  Hastily  putting  his  plunder  back  in  a 
box,  he  tried  to  make  his  escape,  but  the  news  rapidly 
spread  and  a  search  for  him  was  begun.  He  was  soon 
caught  and  brought  back  a  captive  and  committed  to  jail. 
Bells  were  rung  and  there  was  much  rejoicing  that  the  thief 
had  been  discovered.  But  there  were  some  sad  hearts  when 
the  news  was  confirmed  that  the  bright  and  fine  appearing 
young  man,  who  was  so  highly  esteemed  by  his  companions, 
had  been  found  to  be  a  criminal.  It  was  particularly  sad  to 
the  old  lady  Who  had  exercised  a  mother's  care  over  him  so 
long,  and  was  heartrending  to  the  fond  mother  when  the 
sad  news  reached  her  that  her  darling  boy  was  a  thief. 
About  the  same  time  she  heard  of  her  son's  disgrace,  she 
had  news  also  of  the  death  of  her  husband,  who  had  gone 
to  a  Southern  State  on  business*  and  had  taken  a  fever  and 
died.  Thus  a  double  sorrow  had  come  to  the  now  widowed 
mother.  She  hastened  to  the  village  where  her  boy  was 
confined  in  a  felon's  cell,  and,  with  the  one  who  had  been  a 
foster-mother  to  her  Son,  went  with  sad  and  sorrowful  steps 
to  the  jail,  each  giving  vent  to  the  grief  which  the  occasion 
called  forth.  When  they  came  to  the  prison  the  keeper 


A  YEAH  OF  NIGHT.  327 

opened  the  heavy  iron  dcor,  and  the  son  whom  she  had  so 
often  clasped  in  her  arms,  her  loved  and  beautiful  boy,  stood 
before  thsm.  How  could  he  look  them  in  the  face  again, 
when  he  had  brought  such  overwhelming  sorrow  to  their 
hearts  ?  He  scarcely  raised  his  eyes,  which  were  suffused 
with  tears,  when  the  mother,  hardly  able  to  articulate  the 
sad  news,  said,  "Your  father  is  dea-d  !"  Th«  words  seemed 
to  shock  him  more  than  his  own  terrible  downfall.  "Is 
he  ?"  exclaimed  the  boy,  and  burying  his  face  in  his  hands, 
turned  away  so  overcome  that  nothing  more  escaped 
his  lips.  Sadly  the  two  widows  returned  to  their  homes, 
while  the  boy  prisoner  remained  in  his  cold  and  dismal  cell, 
thinking  of  the  great  error  he  had  committed,  the  friendship 
lie  had  lost,  and  the  remarks  that  would  be  made  about  him, 
but  most  of  all  of  the  grief  he  had  brought  upon  hts  mother, 
and  the  lady  whose  kindness  had  placed  him  under  such 
great  indebtedness  to  her.  At  night  he  could  not  sleep,  for 
"nature's  sweet  restorer"  would  not  come  to  his  relief,  and 
his  fellow  prisoner  was  awakened  by  a  shriek,  and  heard  the 
words:  "'Father!  Mother!  Persis!"  Then  all  was  still  and 
silent  as  the  grave.  In  the  morning  it  was  found  that  reason 
had  been  dethroned  and  there  was  no  more  consciousness 
than  that  possessed  by  a  little  child.  His  eyes  were  dazed 
and  he  took  no  more  notice  of  his  surroundings  than  an 
idiot,  having  to  be  fed  and  cared  for  in  the  same  way.  This 
continued  for  several  weeks.  At  length  the  time  arrived 
for  his  trial  and  he  was  taken  to  the  court  house  and  led  to 
the  prisoner's  place.  The  case  was  called  and  the  indict- 
ment read,  but  he  gave  it  no  attention.  Old  acquaintances 
pressed  around  him  but  he  was  as  indifferent  to  them  all  as 
a  statue.  There  appeared  not  be  the  slightest  spark  of 
intellect  or  consciousness  left.  To  try  him  while  in  that 
condition  would  be  like  trying  a  block  of  marble ;  it  was 
therefore  abondoned  and  he  was  remanded  to  his  cell. 
Months  passed  away  and  there  was  no  change.  He  required 
the  same  care  and  showed  no  more  interest  in  his  surround- 
ings. Not  a  sound  was  heard  from  his  lips  and  nothing 
indicated  any  intellectual  life  whatever.  More  than  a  year 


328  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

thus  passed  in  imcorisciousness.  It  was  a  year  of  night — a 
complete  vacuity,  with  no  recollection  of  passing  events.  It 
wras  a  perfect  blank.  At  length  he  was  observed  to  move 
about  in  his  cell  of  his  own  accord,  and  to  show  some  signs 
of  returning  consciousness,  like  a  little  child  when  intellect 
begins  to  dawn  upon  it.  Suddenly  he  put  his  hand  to  his 
head  and  exclaimed,  "My  head  aches!"  These  were  the 
first  words  he  had  uttered  in  more  than  a  year.  He  now 
began  gradually  to  recover  his  senses,  and  this  fact  was  soon 
noised  around.  His  acquaintances  began  to  go  to  see  him, 
and  among  others,  his  employer.  To  the  latter's  question, 
"When  did  you  see  me  last?"  he  replied,  "Sunday  night." 
It  was  true,  but  the  Sunday  night  was  more  than  a  year 
before,  and  all  the  intervening  time  had  been  a  long  night 
to  him. 

At  the  next  sitting  of  the  court  after  his  reason  was 
restored,  he  was  brought  to  trial,  and  although  a  strong  plea 
of  insanity  was  urged  by  an  able  lawyer,  the  jury  took  the 
position  that  he  was  not  insane  at  the  time  the  act  was  com- 
mitted, and  he  was  convicted.  Such  was  public  sympathy 
in  his  behalf  that  the  judge,  all  of  the  jury,  members  of  the 
court  and  leading  citizens  of  the  place  united  in  a  petition  to 
the  governor  for  his  pardon.  It  was  granted  and  sent  as 
soon  as  the  mail  could  carry  the  papers.  The  long  night  of 
mental  darkness  through  which  he  had  passed  created  a 
general  feeling  of  sympathy,  and  instead  of  regarding  him 
as  an  outcast,  he  was  cordially  received  by  his  old  friends. 
Instead  of  going  out  as  a  wanderer  to  places  where  he  was 
not  known,  he  returned  to  his  former  employer  to  finish  his 
apprenticeship.  He  was  very  expert  in  his  profession  and 
his  exquisite  taste  made  his  services  very  desirable.  He 
became  foreman  with  an  interest  in  the  proceeds  of  the 
establishment.  He  was  frugal  and  industrious,  formed  new 
acquaintances  and  married  a  very  estimable  young  lady. 
.  A  change  of  proprietors  made  a  change  in  his  business, 
and  he  found  it  advisable  to  remove  to  a  town  a  hundred 
miles  distant,  where  he  again  entered  into  business,  in  which 
he  became  fairly  successful.  After  varying  vicissitudes  of 


A   YEAR    OF   NIGHT.  329 

life,  he  became  a  victim  of  that  insidious  disease — consump- 
tion. He  labored  as  long  as  his  strength  would  allow,  and 
then  passed  peacefully  away,  with  the  consciousness  that  the 
error  of  his  youth  was  not  remembered  against  him,  going 
to  that  tribunal  where  the  erring  ones,  though  sinful, 
receive  a  cordial  welcome  from  the  sinless  One  who  knows 
so  well  how  to  sympathize  with  the  tempted. 

But  what  of  Persis?  Hers  was  the  last  name  which  fell 
from  his  lips  at  the  commencement  of  that  year  of  darkness. 
From  the  time  of  the  mountain  ride  hers  was  the  bright 
image  in  his  mental  vision.  Soon  after  his  mind  became 
obscured,  her  father  and  mother  moved  west  and  settled 
near  a  beautiful  lake,  which  some  forty  years  later  became 
a  resort  of  pilgrims  to  the  "Saint's  Rest,"  where  a  few 
weeks  are  annually  spent  in  the  acquisition  of  moral  and 
intellectual  pabulum.  Many  thousands  take  up  their  tempo- 
rary abode  in  this  academic  grove  where  science  and 
literature  are  taught.  Except  in  mental  vision,  Persis  never 
saw  Henry  again  after  that  memorable  ride.  She  afterward 
married  a  kind  hearted  deacon  considerably  her  senior  and 
they  removed  to  a  place  near  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  known 
by  the  aboriginees  as  Canadaway.  Here  the  gentle  and 
saintly  life  of  Persis  was  spent  in  rearing  her  family,  and 
here  she  passed  away  but  a  few  years  since,  loved  and 
esteemed  by  all  who  knew  her.  She  was  buried  with  her 
kindred  in  a  delightful  spot  in  the  beautiful  cemetery,  where 
the  tall  hemlocks,  fanned  by  the  breezes  from  off  the  lake, 
give  forth  their  mournful  requiem  over  those  who  rest  in 
that  hallowed  ground.  Robert  J.  Burdette  a  few  years  since 
visited  this  village  and  gives  the  following  description  of  the 
last  resting  place  of  Persis  : 

"In  the  paths  and  over  the  graves  in  'Forest  Hill'  the 
snow  lies  deep  and  soft  and  white.  My  footsteps  make  no 
sound  in  this  silent  city  of  the  dead  ;  the  winds  are  sleeping 
and  no  whisper  of  their  sighing  steals  through  the  leafless 
oaks  or  the  somber  cedars.  As  I  enter  the  gate,  the  first 
stone  bears  a  name  that  is  very  familiar  to  me — 'Robert  J.' 
I  have  seen  that  name  I  remember,  in  the  windows,  on  the 
bulletin  boards,  on  the  circulars  of  lecture  associations.  And 


330  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

here  at  last  I  can  see  how  it  looks  in  the  marble.  But  it  is 
the  son  of  'Robert  J.  Wrixon'  who  is  sleeping  here.  And 
then  under  the  white  mounds  farther  on  the  old  people  are 
at  rest.  Capt.  Asahel  Kingsley,  94  years  old,  and  Abigail 
Kingsley,  75.  And  here  lieth  Jonah  Starr,  close  beside  his 
old  neighbors.  Ninety  years  old  he  was,  and  his  good  old 
wife  Phoebe  was  88,  when  she  renewed  her  eternal  youth. 
John  Stevens  saw  88  years  come  and  go  before  he  went  to 
his  long  home,  and  Harry  Truman  lingered  in  this  world 
just  long  enough  to  find  a  grave  in  it  and  left  it,  in  two 
short  months.  I  look  from  the  grave  of  the  baby  over 
toward  the  mound  where  Asahel  Kingsley  sleeps.  Two 
months  here,  and  there  94  years.  Ah,  to  what  heights  of 
manhood  might  not  the  baby  have  climbed  in  the  ripening 
suns  of  94  years  ?  Not  so  high,  by  infinity,  as  he  soared  in 
two  short  months.  'Persis  P.,  wife  of  J — S — .'  Persis; 
What  a  pretty  name !  As  3^ou  look  at  it,  you  think  that  a 
beautiful  face  and  a  soft,  low,  musical  voice  must  have  gone 
out  with  that  name.  But  face  and  voice  have"  more  of  beauty 
and  a  sweeter  music  now.  And  here  under  one  stone  sleep 
the  four  children  :  Julia,  Clara,  George  and  Hattie.  How 
the  old  reaper  mows  down  alike  the  bearded  grain,  and  the 
nodding  daisy  and  the  wild  rose  blushing  in  the  sun." 

W.  McK. 


QUEBEC.  331 


QUEBEC. 
A  NOTED  HISTORICAL  CITY. 


[The  following  letter  was  written  from  notes  of  a  trip  from  the 
Adirondacks  to  Quebec  at  the  annual  N.  Y.  Press  Association 
meeting  in  1892,  by  Grace  E.  McKinstry,  of  Faribault,  Minn.] 

Four  points  of  interest  in  the  earl)'  settlement  of  this 
country  are  prominent  in  historical  annals,  each  presenting 
peculiar  characteristics:  St.  Augustine,  Fla.,  settled  by  the 
Spaniards  in  1575,  a  walled  town  with  its  strong  fort  made 
of  coquina,  and  presenting  a  formidable  obstacle  to  conquest; 
its  cathedral,  built  of  the  same  material  as  the  fort  ;  its 
narrow  streets,  none  in  line  with  an)^  other,  so  that  no 
artillery  could  sweep  continuous  thoroughfares ;  its  city 
wall ;  '  all  presenting  a  different  aspect  from  any  other 
early  settlement  in  the  United  States,  and  notably  Spanish 
in  its  appearance. 

About  thirty  years  later — in  1608 — the  French,  with 
Champlain  as  their  leader,  took  possession  of  a  high  promon- 
tory on  the  St.  Lawrence,  called  by  the  Indians  "Quebec," 
signifying  a  narrowing  of  the  river.  This  became  the  seat 
of  empire  to  a  tract  of  country  immense  in  proportions, 
extending  up  the  chain  of  inland  seas  to  Duluth,  with  settle- 
ments and  forts  at  Detroit  and  Lake  Pepin,  and  down  the 
Mississippi  to  St.  Louis  and  New  Orleans,  with  possessions 
at  Fort  DuQuesne,  LeBoeuf,  Presque  Isle,  Mackinac,  St. 
Mary's  and  many  other  points,  which  made  the  original 
thirteen  English  colonies  insignificant  in  domain. 

At  about  the  same  time  the  Cavaliers  of  England  planted 
a  colony  at  Jamestown,  Va.  For  reasons  well  known,  this 
colony  never  became  a  success,  and  is  now  a  ruin. 

Thirteen  years  later — in  1620 — the  Pilgrims  landed  at 
Plymouth.  They  sought  no  natural  defenses,  and  built  no 


33.2  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

formidable  forts,  but,  instead,  erected  school-houses  and 
churches. 

Thus  four  orders  of  cizilization  were  introduced  into  the 
borders  of  what  now  constitutes  the  United  States  and 
Canada.  At  the  settlement  of  St.  Augustine,  Pensacola, 
Mobile  and  New  Orleans,  Spain  was  the  most  powerful 
empire  in  the  world,  and  as  a  naval  power  was  only  broken 
by  the  destruction  of  the  Armada,  which  attempted  the 
subjugation  of  England.  France  had  exhibited  the  most 
enterprise  in  establishing  her  authority  on  the  borders  of 
the  Lakes  and  along  the  Mississipi  valley.  In  all  this  vast 
territory  Quebec  was  mostly  the  central  location  from  which 
emanated  the  mandates  of  authority  governing  a  territory 
large  enough  to  be  an  empire.  From  this  point  the  heroic 
missionaries  went  forth  to  conquer  and  civilize  the  aboriginal 
inhabitants,  and  by  trading  with  them  to  bring  them  to  their 
aid.  In  the  old  French  war  in  1745,  the  Indians  became 
their  powerful  allies.  In  Gen.  Braddock's  attempted  capture 
of  Fort  Du  Quesne — now  Pittsburg — where  Washington  had 
his  first  military  experience,  the  Indians  shared  in  the  glory 
of  the  defeat  of  the  Knglish  forces.  Washington,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  rebuked  for  his  temerity  in  suggesting  to 
the  English  Gen.  Braddock  a  better  way  to  attack  French 
and  Indians  than  to  meet  them  in  serried  ranks,  according 
to  British  discipline  and  tactics. 

The  visitor  at  Quebec  is  struck  by  the  natural  defences, 
which  would  seem  to  make  it  the  Gibraltar  of  America.  The 
citadel  stands  350  feet  above  the  river,  with  frowning  fort 
surrounded  by  some  three  or  tour  miles  of  perpendicular 
walls  on  which  are  heavy  guns,  commanding  the  river  for 
a  long  distance.  The  river  St.  Charles  debouches  into  the 
St.  Lawrence  a  short  distance  below.  Outside  of  the  walls 
are  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  where  the  forces  under  Gen. 
Wolf  and  Montcalm  met  in  deadly  combat,  resulting  in  the 
death  of  both  commanders,  Sept.  12,  1789.  General  Wolf 's 
forces — 700  strong — had  ascended  to  the  heights  above  the 
city  by  a  narrow  defile,  and  the  French  sallied  out  and  met 


QUEBEC.  333 

them.  Our  guide  says  if  Montcalm  had  remained  inside  of 
the  fortifications  the  place  could  not  have  been  captured. 
That  was  his  great  mistake,  and  Quebec,  the  seat  of  a  new 
empire  of  France  in  America,  passed  forever  from  under  its 
sceptre.  A  monument  to  both  chieftains  marks  the  historic 
ground,  bearing  the  inscsiption  : 

"Valor  gave  them  a  common  death, 

History  a  common  fame 
And  Posterity  a  common  monument." 

Canada  was  ceded  to  England  in  1763.  Again,  in  1775, 
after  the  British  had  retained  possession  seventeen  years,  an 
attempt  was  made  to  capture  Quebec  by  the  New  England 
colonists.  Gen.  Montgomery  and  Benedict  Arnold  raised 
an  army  to  take  it.  The  attack  was  made  on  a  dark  night, 
Dec.  31,  1775,  in  hope  of  carrying  it  by  surprise.  A  sentinel 
gave  the  alarm,  and  a  charge  of  grape-shot  mowed  the 
assailants  down  and  defeated  them.  Gen.  Montgomery  was 
killed  and  Arnold  wounded.  Had  he  remained  faithful  to 
the  American  cause,  his  fame  would  have  been  linked  in 
history  with  that  of  the  patriotic  Montgomery.  But  his 
treason  to  Washington  and  the  cause  of  the  colonies  obliter- 
ated the  gratitude  won  by  his  daring  and  sacrifices  during 
his  previous  career,  and  he  went  down  to  the  grave  despised 
and  execrated  by  the  country,  whose  cause  he  had  sold 
himself  to  betray.  Had  the  forces  led  by  Montgomery  and 
Arnold  succeeded,  Canada  might  have  become  a  part  of  the 
Union,  and  there  would  have  been  an  early  disposition  of 
the  question  of  annexation.  Still  the  loss  of  Canada  to  the 
French  may  have  had  some  influence  in  inducing  that  nation 
to  send  its  fleet  to  this  country  to  take  part  at  a  critical  time 
in  the  capture  of  Yorktown  and  Lord  Cornwallis.  The 
little  word  "if"  sometimes  suggests  mighty  changes  in  the 
history  of  the  world.  Had  Benedict  Arnold's  wound  proved 
fatal,  he  would  have  been  honored  as  was  Montgomery, 
whose  monument  in  front  of  St.  Paul's  church  in  New  York 
attracts  the  attention  of  the  passers-by.  Such  are  the 
changes  of  fame. 


334  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

Quebec  is  historic  ground.  For  285  years  it  has  been 
important  in  the  history  of  the  American  continent,  and  the 
whole  town  seems  to  bear  that  impress  of  the  personality  of 
the  people  which  only  comes  from  long  occupation. 

The  town  is  divided  into  upper  and  lower  Quebec.  The 
upper  town  lies  on  a  high  promontory,  from  whose  loftiest 
point,  333  feet  above  the  river,  frowns  grandly  down  the 
most  impregnable  fortress  in  North  America.  The  whole  of 
the  upper  town  is  surrounded  by  a  thick  wall  of  masonry, 
but  the  fine  picturesque  old  gates  have  been  removed.  Three 
of  them  have  been  replaced  by  beautiful  modern  archways 
and  turrets.  From  the  upper  to  the  lower  town  the  descent 
is  precipitous,  and  there  are  long  flights  of  stairs  leading- 
down  in  many  places.  The  town  was  built  before  the  days 
of  straight,  right-angled  boulevards,  and  the  streets  follow 
the  old  forest  paths  in  a  delightfully  picturesque  and 
bewildering  fashion. 

At  the  foot  of  the  precipitous  rock  which  the  citadel 
crowns,  is  Dufferin  Terrace,  the  finest  esplanade  the  world 
can  show.  It  is  1,500  feet  in  length,  and  lies  on  the  very 
brink  of  the  river  whose  swift  current  flows  182  feet  below. 

There  is  a  wonderful  view  embracing  the  straggling, 
picturesque  old  town,  with  the  curve  of  its  fine  harbor,  the 
broad,  majestic  river,  and  miles  away  a  blue  distance  of  hills. 

Memories  of  the  city's  stormy  days  rise  again,  for  not  far 
below  lies  the  low  island  where  the  forces  of  Gen.  Wolfe 
were  encamped  for  months,  and  opposite  is.Point  L,evis,  where 
they  landed  one  dark  night  and  then  floated  down  with  the 
tide  to  the  Heights  of  Abraham.  And,  there  to-day  rises  a 
granite  shaft,  with  the  simple  words  which  tell  so  much  : 

"Here  died  Wolfe,  victorious." 

The  old  Cathedral  of  Quebec  was  commenced  in  1645,  and 
consecrated  in  1666.  The  French  government  and  the  early 
inhabitants  appropriated  the  proceeds  of  1,250  beaver  skins 
to  the  building  of  this  church,  which  furnishes  striking 
evidence  of  the  power  of  the  faith  that  impelled  these  hardy 


QUKBEC.  335 

trappers  to  endure  severe  toil  and  long  wilderness  excursions 
to  secure  the  means  for  the  erection  of  a  place  of  worship. 

The  churches  of  Quebec  are  numerous  now,  and  in  them 
are  found  many  of  the  rarest  art  treasures  of  America, 
including  pictures  that  were  brought  from  France  during  the 
Reign  of  Terror.  The  inhabitants  are  about  as  quaint  as 
the  town,  as  they  jog  about  in  their  droll  two- wheeled 
caleches,  and  chatter  away  in  a  French  patois. 

There  is  a  refreshing  unlikeness  to  all  things  American  in 
the  whole  place,  which  seems  like  a  bit  of  old  France  trans- 
planted to  these  barren  heights. 

It  impresses  one  as  does  no  other  spot  in  America  for  the 
mingled  pathos  and  glory  of  its  story,  and  for  the  unrivalled 
grandeur  and  picturesqueness  of  its  situation. 


336  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 


MEMORIAL  DAY. 


[From  the  Fredonia  CENSOR  of  May,  1878.] 

The  3oth  of  May  has  become  a  red  letter  day  of  the  Re- 
public. On  this  day  the  memories  of  the  martyrs  for  our 
National  existence  is  publicly  commemorated  by  the  decora- 
tion of  their  graves  with  the  beautiful  blossoms  of  the 
season.  The  4th  of  July  commemorates  the  Nation's  birth, 
and  the  heroism  and  devotion  of  the  fathers  to  the  great 
Declaration,  the  support  of  which  made  the  colonies  a 
united  nation,  should  never  be  forgotten,  but  should  be  a 
commemorative  day  through  the  history  of  the  country 
to  all  future  time.  But  not  less  should  be  observed  the  day 
which  commemorates  the  heroism  and  sacrifices  of  those 
who  gave  their  lives  that  the  nation  might  live. 

More  than  half  a  generation  has  passed  away  since  the  war 
of  the  rebellion  was  commenced.  More  than  half  of  those 
who  participated  in  the  great  struggle  for  continued  National 
existence,  have  bivouacked  where  there  is  no  waking  till 
the  jxidgment  day.  The  beautiful  Spring  flowers  are 
tenderly  laid  over  the  resting  place  of  the  silent  sleepers, 
and  they  know  not  the  fragrance  and  beauty  of  the  blossoms 
so  tenderly  placed  over  the  sleeping  dust.  The  place  of  rest 
to  many  of  them  is  in  the  vicinity  of  fearful  battle  scenes, 
where  rifle  and  cannon  shot  carried  terrible  slaughter  among 
the  brave  men  who  fought  under  the  flag  of  the  country, 
and  where  their  life  blood  was  poured  out  as  a  sacred 
libation  on  the  altar  of  sacrifice  in  the  country's  behalf.  It 
is  hallowed  ground  where  they  sleep.  Over  the  white  head 
stones  which  mark  their  place  of  rest  the  flag  of  the  country 
constantly  floats  to  designate  the  sacredness  of  the  place. 
The  many  thousands  of  graves  in  our  National  cemeteries 
serve  to  give  some  idea  of  the  cost  of  our  national  life,  but 
it  is  not  all.  The  cemeteries  all  over  the  land  contain  the 


MK MORTAL    DAY.  337 

mortal  remains  of  man}-  thousands  of  heroes  who  perished 
in  the  fearful  struggle,  or  have  since  "folded  their  tents" 
and  passed  over  the  river.  How  appropriate  that  Decora- 
tion Day  should  be  observed  that  succeeding  generations 
may  learn  from  its  recurrence  what  it  cost  to  preserve  our 
national  life,  and  better  appreciate  the  value  of  our  blood- 
bought  country.  Those  who  have  but  recently  come  to 
adult  years,  will  have  but  little  recollection  of  the  time  when 
the  banner  of  the  rebellion  was  unfurled  and  the  fearful 
struggle  began.  They  have  no  recollection  of  the  thrill  of 
horror  which  passed  \vith  electric  speed  to  the  extremities  of 
the  land  when  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  coadjutors  in  Congress, 
in  the  Cabinet,  in  the  army  and  navy,  commenced  their 
work  of  treason.  They  may  have  some  recollection  of  their 
fathers,  brothers  and  neighbors  going  to  the  fearful  conflict, 
and  the  terrible  news  of  carnage  and  death  which  carried 
sorrow7  and  mourning  to  so  many  households.  But  it  is  by 
the  recurrence  of  the  days  of  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the 
martyred  dead  that  we  are  all  brought  more  appreciatively 
to  a  realization  of  the  perils  through  which  we  have  passed, 
and  a  higher  tone  of  patriotism  is  being  extended  in  the 
observance  of  this  beautiful  commemorative  day. 

It  is  now  more  than  thirteen  years  since  the  victorious 
arm)'  returned  to  their  homes  to  again  engage  in  the  peace- 
ful pursuits  of  life.  Scarcely  had  the  din  of  fratricidal 
strife  ceased  from  over  the  land,  when  a  traitorous  hand  laid 
low  the  Nation's  Chief,  and  the  joys  of  returning  peace 
were  turned  to  mourning  over  a  national  bereavement. 

Since  that  time  the  band  of  brave  defenders  of  the  nation 
has  been  constantly  diminishing  on  the  hithei  side  of  the 
river,  and  growing  larger  on  the  other  side.  The  heroes  of 
1776  have  all  gone  to  rest,  and  those  of  1812  have  nearly 
all  passed  a\vay.  It  will  be  but  a  few  years  before  the 
living  witnesses  and  participants  in  the  great  struggle  of 
1861-5  will  be  few,  and  their  gray  hairs  and  tottering  limbs 
will  speak  eloquently  to  succeeding  generations  to  stand  by 
the  old  flag,1  and  a  nation's  gratitude  will  tenderly  bear 
them  in  the  embrace  of  patriotic  devotion,  and  cherish  their 


EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


memory,  when  they  depart  to  the  unseen  shore,  with 
paternal  affection.  Then  let  us,  while  we  may,  bring  the 
fresh  and  beautiful  flowers  as  a  grateful  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  those  who  laid  down  their  lives  in  our  behalf, 
and  thank  Heaven  that  w7e  may  ever  in  this  beautiful 
manner  express  our  gratitude  to  the  noble  men  who  have 
periled  their  lives  to  protect  the  old  flag  under  which  our 
fathers  gained  our  independence  and  constituted  our  national 
existence.  Let  us  hope  that  the  observance  of  this  day  will 
be  a  perpetual  memorial  to  all  future  generations,  from  sea 
to  sea  throughout  our  broad  domain.  May  even  the  flowers 
on  the  graves  of  the  martyred  dead  be  a  fitting  rebuke  to 
those  who  would  make  our  national  unity,  like  a  rope  of 
sand,  powerless  to  protect  its  citizens  in  all  the  rights  of 
citizenship  which  it  has  cost  such  precious  blood  and 
treasure  to  establish.  By  the  blood  of  our  country's 
martyrs,  may  it  be  the  resolve  of  every  patriot  that  every 
portion  of  the  land  shall  constitute  one  country,  with  equal 
protection  to  every  citizen  over  whom  the  old  flag  floats. 


[From  the  Fredonia  CENSOR  of  June  3,  1885.] 
Last  Saturday,  the  day  set  apart  for  the  commemoration 
of  the  dead  who  laid  down  their  lives  to  save  the  Nation, 
and  of  those  who  survived  the  fearful  ordeal  and  have  since 
been  laid  to  rest  in  honored  graves,  was  generally  observed 
throughout  the  loyal  States,  and  to  some  extent  in  the 
South.  It  is  appropriate  to  set  apart  a  day  to  commemorate 
the  sacrifices  of  the  dead  heroes.  Twenty-four  years  ago 
the  notes  of  fratricidal  war  were  sounded  by  firing  on  Fort 
Sumter.  Twenty  years  ago  the  war  closed,  after  the  battle- 
fields had  been  drenched  in  blood.  Again  the  flag  of  the 
Union  floated  in  every  State  and  Territory  of  the  Union,  and 
ours  was  a  nation  of  freemen.  This  great  achievement  was 
accomplished  through  the  valor  of  our  soldiers.  It  is  a 
national  duty  to  remember  the  sacrifices  that  have  been 
made  that  the  nation  might  live.  But  for  these  sacrifices 
we  should  have  had  to-day  no  nation,  but  a  severed  Union, 


MEMORIAL   DAY.  339 

on  the  one  side  with  slavery'  as  its  foundation,  with  a 
thousand  miles  of  frontier,  and  standing  armies  on  each  side 
of  the  line  to  prevent  the  escape  of  fugitives  on  one  side, 
and  the  inroads  of  slave  hunters  for  their  captives  on  the 
other.-  Our  national  capital  and  the  remains  of  the  Father 
of  this  Country  within  the  seceded  territory — foreign  com- 
plications constantly  engendered  by  the  jealousies  of  the 
different  sections — and  the  still  more  embittered  hate  of  the 
contending  armies  extending  to  succeeding  generations, 
presents  a  picture  from  which  the  patriot  recoils,  and  which 
ought  to  lead  us  with  unanimous  voice  and  heart  to  bless 
the  memory  of  those  whose  patriotism  led  them  to  present 
themselves  as  a  living  sacrifice  to  avoid  such  a  catastrophe. 

It  is  meet  that  the  graves  of  the  departed  soldiers  should 
be  strewn  with  flowers.  They  will  not  restore  to  life  the 
patriotic  men  who  laid  down  their  lives  for  the  country,  but 
will  be  as  balm  to  the  hearts  of  the  living  who  have  made 
the  sacrifice  of  husbands,  fathers,  brothers  and  sons  in  this 
great  cause. 

"To  die  for  one's  country  is  to  die  indeed,  but  it  is  to  live 
in  immortal  fame.  Each  year  the  ranks  of  those  who  live 
to  tell  the  story  of  the  heroic  past  grow  less  and  less.  Each 
year  adds  to  the  nation's  appreciation  of  its  defenders  and 
makes  it  an  all  sufficient  commendation  to  say  of  a  man, 
'He  fought  for  his  country.'  The  dead  are  in  peace.  It  is 
for  the  living  to  remember,  not  the  coffin  and  the  shroud, 
but  that  the  Union  is  saved  and  that  its  salvation  was  bought 
with  the  blood  of  its  noblest  men.  Not  alone  on  decoration 
day,  but  every  day,  a  soldier's  grave  should  be  a  place  for 
flowers  and  not  a  place  for  tears. ' ' 

Not  many  years  will  pass  when  there  will  be  but  few  of 
the  vast  army  which  saved  the  country  left  to  pay  the 
tribute  of  respect  and  affection  for  the  comrades  who  have 
gone  before  them  to  the  shadowy  land.  Only  the  older 
people  now  remember  the  band  of  gray  headed  revolutionary 
soldiers,  who  used  to  participate  in  4th  of  July  celebrations. 
In  a  few  years  but  a  little  band  will  annually  gather  to 


340  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

strew  flowers  on  the  graves  of  those  who  fell  or  participated 
in  the  war  for  the  Union.  But  their  services  will  not  be 
forgotten.  The  children  and  youth  of  the  present  genera- 
tion should  be  taught  this  patriotic  duty,  and  the  choicest 
flowers  of  spring  should  be  annually  gathered  to  strew  upon 
the  graves  of  those  who  gave  themselves  to  secure  the 
blessings  of  liberty  and  peace  which  we  so  abundantly 
enjoy. 


NATIONAL    THANKSGIVING.  341 


NATIONAL  THANKSGIVING. 


[From  the  Fredonia  CENSOR  of  Nov.  25,  1885.] 
A  day  of  Thanksgiving  is  peculiarly  American,  and  till 
about  fifty  years  ago  was  a  New  England  institution.  More 
than  200  years  ago  the  Governors  of  the  New  England 
colonies  were  accustomed  to  appoint  the  day  of  Thanks- 
giving in  their  respective  colonies.  The  celebration  of  the 
day  is  one  of  the  heirlooms  of  the  States  from  the  New 
England  colonies.  Twenty-two  years  ago  the  observance  of 
the  day  was  made  National  by  the  proclamation  of  Abraham 
Lincoln.  The  nation  was  in  the  midst  of  a  bloody  war. 
But  the  tide  of  events  had  been  turned,  and  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  Grant  important  victories  had  been  won. 
The  noble  and  CDiiscientious  President  attributed  these 
successes  to  a  Kind  Providence  in  ordering  the  events,  and 
called  upon  the  loyal  nation  to  give  thanks  to  the  Great 
Ruler  of  the  Universe  for  the  great  blessings  vouchsafed. 
It  is  so  appropriate  in  thought  and  language  that  it  will  be 
well  worth  repeating  every  year.  The  old  pi  Igrims  could 
give  thanks  over  the  parched  corn  from  the  scant)'  fields, 
and  the  wild  game  taken  from  the  forests.  The  nation 
was  called  upon  to  give  thanks  for  the  fruitful  fields, 
abundant  crops,  and  the  reward  of  toil  throughout  the  land, 
in  shop  and  field,  and  especially  for  the  success  of  our 
armies  in  the  preservation  of  a  free  government. 

But  if  the  Pilgrim  fathers  could  be  thankful  for  their 
blessings  won  by  privation  and  hard  toil  from  a  sterile  soil 
in  an  inhospitable  climate, — if  the  Nation  could  be  thankful 
when  pressed  by  treason,  and  the  heart  blood  of  the  people 
flowed  for  the  protection  of  our  Nationality — how  much 
more  ought  we  to  be  thankful  in  view  of  the  blessings  which 
have  been  lavished  with  unstinted  hand  since  the  first 
proclamation  of  the  Martyr  President  for  a  day  of  thanks- 
giving to  the  Great  Giver  of  all  blessings. 


342  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

Since  twenty-two  years  ago,  the  greatest  war  of  modern 
times  has  been  closed  and  the  unity  of  the  nation  restored 
and  confirmed.  Four  millions  of  slaves  have  been  made 
free  and  changed  from  chattels  to  citizens.  Constitutional 
amendments  have  been  passed  which  carry  out  the  spirit  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence.  A  currency  has  been 
established  which  is  equalby  good  in  every  part  of  our 
country.  A  period  of  unexampled  growth  and  prosperity 
throughout  the  vast  extent  of  our  country  has  prevailed. 
Schools  and  the  facilities  for  education  have  wonderfully 
progressed.  No  country  in  the  wide  world  has  been  blessed 
as  ours  has.  The  earth  has  yielded  abundant  harvests, 
with  a  large  balance  after  supplying  our  own  wants  for 
other  parts  of  the  world.  We  have  been  at  peace  with  all 
other  nations.  The  large  army  of  a  million  of  men  have 
returned  to  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  life,  and  all  rejoiced  in 
a  restored  peace  and  prosperity. 

It  is  appropriate  that  the  whole  nation  should  join  in 
"Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 

The  absent  members  of  the  family  should  be  gathered  on 
this  day  to  join  in  the  feast.  Those  in  want  or  affliction 
should  be  remembered.  It  should  be  '  'the  day  of  all  the 
year  the  best" — the  day  of  pyful  festivity  and  thankfulness, 
— the  day  for  family  reunions  and  pleasant  reminiscences. 
As  far  as  possible  the  gathering  should  be  in  the  old  home- 
stead, where  the  old  and  young  should  share  in  the  festivities 
of  the  day. 

The  pulpits  should  speak  on*  this  day'  of  the  bounteous 
gifts  of  Heaven — not  only  of  fruitful  seasons,  and  prosperous 
husbandry,  but  of  the  blessings  of  a  free  government, — a 
free  pulpit  and  press,  and  freedom  from  despotism  which 
our  form  of  government  has  made  possible. 


[From  the  Fredonia  CENSOR  of  Nov.  29,  1893.] 

The  annual  return  of  a  day  for  giving  national   thanks  to 

the   Almighty    Ruler   of  the   Universe,    for   the    continued 

blessings  of  peace  and  good  will   to  men,  indicates  a  people 

recognizing   the    rule   and    authority    of  the  Creator  of  all 


NATIONAL  THANKSGIVING.  343 

things,  and  our  daily  dependence  on  Him  for  all  the  bless- 
ings of  this  life.  We  are  as  a  nation  blessed  above  any  of 
the  nations  on  the  earth.  The  voice  of  God  through  the 
people  is  recognized  as  the  highest  authority  in  the  world. 
This  government  of  the  people,  which  has  so  dist'nguished 
us  from  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  is  derived  from  resistance 
to  tyrants,  and  became  permanent  through  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers,  who  resisted  monarchical  power  and  the  divine 
rights  of  kings,  nobles  and  ecclesiastics  who  were  the 
oppressors  of  the  nations  of  the  old  world. 

As  a  nation  we  ought  to  be  especially  thankful  that  we 
have  been  preserved  by  a  kind  providence  from  disintegra- 
tion by  a  rebel  power,  that  the  manacles  of  slavery  have 
been  broken,  and  that  no  American  citizens  throughout  all 
this  land  can  rightfully  call  any  man  "Master."  More 
especially  ought  we  to  be  thankful  for  the  evidence  recently 
presented  by  the  overthrow  of  political  "bossism"  that  the 
sovereign  power  of  the  people  has  been  so  wisely  guided  for 
this  accomplishment. 

A  national  thanksgiving  day  first  proclaimed  from  the 
Presidential  chair  by  a  man  who  rose  from  the  humblest 
walks  of  life  to  be  the  chief  executive,  is  recognized  by  every 
State  in  the  Union,  and  thus  homage  is  paid  to  the  virtues 
of  the  Pilgrim  fathers  who  laid  the  foundation  of  its 
observance  on  the  bleak  New  England  shores,  when  temporal 
blessings  were  few,  but  when  the  spirit  of  liberty  was  an 
ever  shining  light  which  ^shines  more  and  more  unto  the 
perfect  day. 

In  all  the  perils  to  which  the  country  has  been  exposed, 
the  desire  for  a  monarchy  has  not  been  one  of  the  purposes 
of  any  large  portion  of  the  American  people.  The  spirit  of 
liberty  is  pervading  all  the  nations  with  which  our  inter- 
course abroad  has  brought  us  in  contact.  In  France,  the 
nation  which  stretched  out  its  strong  hand  in  our  behalf  in 
our  revolutionary  struggle,  the  Republican  form  of  govern- 
ment has  become  so  firmly  fixed  that  it  cannot  be  moved. 
On  the  American  continent  the  system  has  become  pervasive, 


344  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

and  an  increased  intelligence  and  more  familiarity  with  the 
system  will  give  each  nation  a  more  perfect  fruition  of  the 
blessings  of  popular  government. 

Peace  has  prevailed  throughout  our  land,  and  with  the 
smallest  standing  army  in  proportion  to  population  of  any 
civilized  nation  in  the  world,  we  are  yet  the  strongest. 
Peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men  is  the  righteous 
foundation  of  our  government,  and  as  the  world  progresses 
from  age  to  age,  may  it  not  be  hoped  that  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  with  healing  in  its  beams,  will  bring  all  the 
nations  into  harmony  with  a  government  of  the  people,  by 
the  people  and  for  the  people,  that  the  sword  shall  give 
place  to  peaceable  arbitration,  and  that  the  policy  of  all  the 
earth  shall  be  "the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest  number." 

Our  land  has  brought  forth  abundantly  of  food  for  all  the 
lands,  so  that  there  is  plenty  for  all  the  people  if  all  were 
equally  provident  and  industrious. 

The  World's  Fair,  which  has  been  the  greatest  success  of 
any  undertaking  of  the  kind  in  the  world,  and  held  in  a 
place  where  half  a  century  ago  was  but  a  hamlet  surrounded 
by  the  solitudes  of  primeval  nature,  and  now  the  second  city 
of  the  nation,  has  shown  to  the  world  that  we  are  not  behind 
the  most  progressive  of  them  in  the  arts  of  peace.  Here 
too,  the  religious  systems  hoary  with  the  age  of  many 
centuries,  have  been  presented  by  their  own  advocates,  and 
have  been  received  with  courteous  attention,  and  their 
advocates  listened  to  with  consideration  and  candor.  This 
presents  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  the  world. 

The  most  formidable  engines  of  destruction  and  sub- 
jugation of  nations  were  at  the  Fair,  as  harmless  as  the 
playthings  of  children,  and  as  useless,  except  to  convey  to 
the  beholders  an  object  lesson  of  an  art  which  in  the  onward 
progress  of  the  world,  will  go  down  to  succeeding  genera- 
tions as  the  battering  rams  and  engines  of  war  of  the  old 
Roman  conquerors  come  down  to  us. 

The  electric  car,  the  telephone,  and  a  thousand  and  one 
processes  by  which  the  development  of  science  has  been 


NATIONAL  THANKSGIVING.  345 

manifested  since  the  Centennial  year,  show  a  progress  un- 
dreamed of  even  a  century  ago.  Not  one-fourth  the  manual 
labor  of  half  a  century  ago  is  now  necessary  to  produce  the 
same  amount  of  the  comforts  of  life  then  required.  Mind 
supercedes  muscle  in  the  accomplishment  of  great  plans, 
and  muscle  is  only  an  adjunct.  In  the  1 10  years  since  the 
close  of  the  Revolution  not  more  than  seven  have  been  spent 
in  devastating  war;  the  last  served  to  rid  the  nation  of 
slavery  and  destroyed  the  market  for  the  souls  and  bodies 
of  men.  The  Lord  of  Hosts  has  wrought  marvelous  things 
for  our  land.  The  fields  have  yielded  their  increase,  and 
the  scourge  of  famine  and  pestilence  have  been  warded  from 
the  nation.  This  nation  has  grown  as  no  other  nation  has. 
Its  glory  is  in  its  happy  homes,  and  to-morrow  how  many 
joyous  families  throughout  the  land  will  be  gathered  around 
the  festive  board  to  give  thanks  for  the  blessings  of  the  past 
year.  Let  all  join  in  heart  if  not  in  vocal  song: 

"Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 


346  EDITORIAL    MISCELLANIES. 


CHRISTMAS,    1884. 


The  celebration  of  Thanksgiving  among  the  Puritans  of 
New  England  took  the  place  of  Christmas  festivities  in  the 
old  countries,  but  of  late  years  the  celebration  of  Christmas 
has  been  added  to  the  festival  observances  of  the  descendants 
of  the  Puritans.  The  following  is  from  the  Fredonia  CENSOR 
of  Dec.  24,  1884: 

The  celebration  of  the  most  important  event  in  the  history 
of  the  world  takes  place  this  week.  It  is  no  less  than  the 
special  manifestation  of  the  Divinity  in  the  human  form. 
All  moral  and  intellectual  intelligences  partake  more  or  less 
of  the  divine  nature,  in  proportion  as  they  make  the 
elements  subservient  to  their  use.  The  more  elevated 
human  beings  are  above  the  brute  creation,  the  nearer  they 
approach  to  the  Divine.  The  moral  development  of  our 
being  generally  precedes  the  developments  of  civilization. 
Nations  and  individuals  progress  in  all  that  enhances  the 
prosperity  and  happiness  of  the  race  in  proportion  as  they 
recognize  "the  Divinity  that  shapes  our  ends" — the  over- 
ruling Providence  that  directs  the  affairs  of  the  Universe — 
the  world,  nations,  communities  and  individuals. 

The  great  impetus  given  to  the  world's  progress  was 
consequent  upon  the  great  event  which  occurred  1884  years 
ago,  when  the  Angelic  hosts  proclaimed  "Peace  on  earth 
and  good  will  among  men."  The  world  had  already  pro- 
gressed in  civilization  and  the  arts  for  four  thousand  years, 
but  even  the  tender  mercies  of  the  best  of  them  were  cruel. 
But  this  great  epoch  in  the  world's  history  was  the  com- 
mencement of  a  more  complete  reign  of  righteousness,  which 
has  shed  an  increasing  light  on  the  progress  of  the  world, 
and  this  enlightenment  has  brought  increasing  peace  and 
happiness.  Well  may  men  rejoice  in  the  day  which  has 
been  constantly  bringing  deliverance  from  the  sadness  which 
vice  and  crime  have  entailed  upon  the  world. 


CHRISTMAS,    1884.  347 

A  glance  at  the  results  of  this  special  manifestation  of  the 
Divinity  among  men,  which  took  the  form  of  the  lowly  and 
homeless  child,  born  and  cradled  in  poverty,  though  destimed 
to  be  a  king,  the  glory  of  whose  reign  was  to  eclipse  and 
supersede  the  greatest  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  world:  Since 
that  event  the  world  has  been  growing  better,  and  its 
miseries  ameliorated.  Then  the  greatest  delight  of  the  most 
refined  and  advanced  of  the  nations  was  seen  in  the  glad- 
iatorial shows,  where  the  victims  of  war  were  slaughtered 
for  the  amusement  of  the  assembled  thousands  of  the 
conquerors.  Then  there  were  no  institutions  for  the 
amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  unfortunate — no  asylums 
for  the  poor,  the  blind,  the  deaf,  the  sick  and  the  crippled — 
no  swift  ships  to  carry  relief  to  plague  stricken  countries  far 
away — no  angels  of  mercy  to  hasten  on  wings  of  love  to 
visit  and  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  strangers  in  a  strange 
land,  where  disease  was  slaying  its  thousands  or  devastating 
fire  had  made  multitudes  homeless.  In  war.  women  and 
children  were  massacred  or  carried  into  slavery,  the  country 
devastated  and  the  victois  returned  laden  with  the  spoils 
taken  from  once  peaceful  homes  with  happy  families.  Now 
the  blessings  of  Christian  civilization  crowd  the  Christian 
countries  with  institutions  for  the  alleviation  of  misery  in 
every  form.  Even  cruel  war  is  bereft  of  its  greatest  horrors. 
Private  property  is  protected — the  prisoner  is  cared  for  and 
fed,  and  if  sick  is  provided  for  in  hospitals — rules  of  warfare 
established  between  nations  by  which  the  soldiery  are  pro- 
tected after  surrender,  and  few  of  the  hardships  of  ancient 
times  experienced. 

These  blessings  of  a  Christian  civilization  are  the  results 
of  the  teachings  of  Him  who  took  upon  himself  the  frailties 
of  humanity  and  experienced  trouble  and  sorrow  that  He 
might  compassionate  its  sufferings  in  his  own  and  all 
succeeding  ages. 

Well  may  there  be  rejoicing  over  the  advent  of  this  great 
Pioneer  in  a  faith  which  should  bless  all  the  nations  ot  the 
earth,  and  well  may  children  hail  with  delight  the  anni- 
versary of  the  great  event  which  has  made  so  many  happy 


348  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

homes  and  the  lives  of  the  little  ones  a  blessing  to  themselves 
and  the  world.  And  especially  in  view  of  his  coming  as  a 
little  child,  partaking  of  all  the  trials  and  sorrows  of  poverty 
in  his  lowly  home  in  Nazareth. 

True  there  is  much  suffering  in  the  world,  but  it  prevails 
most  where  there  is  the  least  Christian  influence. 
Christianity  blesses  the  world  in  proportion  as  its  benign 
influences  prevail.  And  when  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
become  subject  to  the  pervading  influence  of  a  truly 
Christian  civilization,  then  will  be  fully  realized  the  Angelic 
proclamation  of  "peace  on  earth  and  good  will  among  men. " 


MEMORIAL   OF   PORTER   C.  BLISS. 


MEMORIAL,  OF  PORTER  C.  BLISS. 


[A  dispatch  from  New  York  of  Feb.  i,  1885,  says  "Porter  C. 
Bliss,  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  New  York,  died  to-night." 
The  following  is  from  the  CENSOR  of  Feb.  4,  1885.] 

Mr  Bliss  was  eminent  as  a  journalist,  traveler,  scholar 
and  diplomat.  His  death  was  the  remote  result  of  injuries 
inflicted  by  the  infamous  Lopez,  Dictator  of  Paraguay,  who 
tortured  Bliss  to  extract  State  secrets  from  him  while  he  was 
Secretary  of  the  United  States  Legation  under  Minister 
Washburne. 

His  life  here,  where  he  made  his  start  in  the  world  as  a 
student  of  Fredonia  Academy,  was  always  gratefully  re- 
membered. He.  was  always  grateful  to  the  kind  friends 
here  who  took  an  interest  in  him  as  a  scholarly  boy.  The 
late  Dr.  C.  E.  Washburn  and  wife  were  especially  kind  to 
him  and  he  boarded  with  them  some  time,  taking  care  of 
the  Dr's  horse  for  part  payment.  He  was  the  son  of  Rev. 
Asher  Bliss,  a  missionary  to  the  Cattaraugus  Indians,  and 
was  born  on  the  reservation  and  familiar  with  the  Seneca 
tongue.  In  later  years  he  was  adopted  into  the  Seneca 
tribe.  His  early  life  no  doubt  gave  him  his  taste  for 
exploration  among  the  Indian  tribes  of  Mexico  and  South 
America,  which  led  to  his  remarkable  excursion  thither. 

Mr.  Bliss  fitted  to  enter  Yale  CDllege  at  this  Academy. 
His  agency  in  obtaining  subscriptions  to  periodicals  in  New 
England,  and  sketches  from  old  people  of  revolutionary  and 
other  early  historical  incidents,  led  to  his  employment  by 
the  Historical  society,  and  their  interest  in  his  behalf  to  get 
him  a  position  in  the  Indian  country  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
where  the  remnants  of  the  Eastern  tribes  had  removed. 
But  the  war  of  the  rebellion  coming  on,  frustrated  this  plan, 
and  he  took  the  position  of  private  secretary  to  Col.  James 
Watson  Webb,  who  was  appointed  Minister  to  Brazil. 

We  met  Mr.  Bliss  at  the  White  House  in  Washington,  in 


35°  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 

April,.  1 86 1.  He  was  waiting  with  Senator  Sumner  for  am 
introduction  to  the  President,  with  a  view  to  his  appoint- 
ment in  the  Interior  department,  to  go  among  the  Indians- 
of  the  Western  territories,  and  learn  their  traditions  with 
regard  to  their  early  history.  The  old  tribes  of 
Pequods,  Narragansetts,  and  other  tribes  inhabiting  New 
England,  where  the  settlers  from  the  Mayflower  arrived,, 
were  then  represented  by  their  descendants  in  the  territories,, 
and  Mr,  Bliss  having  spent  his  boyhood  among  the  Indians, 
was  well  adapted  to  that  work.  He  showed  us  his  ap- 
plication to  the  President,  signed  by  all  the  U.  S.  Senators, 
and  leading  literary  men  of  the  country,  such  as  Bancroft , 
Longfellow,  Oliver  Wendell  Homes.  He  was  appointed,, 
but  the  war  coming  on,  he  did  not  go  to  his  work  beyond 
the  Mississippi. 

The  New  York  Times  gives  his  history  thereafter,  en- 
titled "A .Remarkable  Career/'  from  which  we  extract  as 
follows: 

Gen.  James  Watson  Webb  was  made  Minister  to  Brazil, 
in  the  latter  part  of  1861,  Mr.  Bliss  was  appointed  his 
private  secretary.  In  1862  when  Gen.  Webb  surrendered 
his  office,  Mr.  Bliss,  instead  of  returning  with  him,  made  a 
trip  to  Buenos  Ayres,  and  three  days  after  arriving  there  he 
was  commissioned  by  the  Argentine  Republic  to  explore  the 
Indian  country  known  as  the  Grand  Chaco,  an  immense 
desert  inhabited  by  Indian  tribes.  He  spent  eight  months 
in  this  service,  and  during  that  time  acquainted  himself  with 
various  Indian  dialects,  and  studied  the  antiquities  of  the 
country  and  the  habits  of  the  natives.  The  results  of  his 
explorations  were  published  by  the  Government,  and  are 
standard  authorities  on  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  Grand 
Chaco. 

For  a  short  time  after  Mr.  Bliss  edited  a  monthly 
periodical  in  Buenos  Ayres,  which  was  called  the  River 
Platte  Magazine.  Then  he  went  to  Paraguay,  where  his 
friend  Charles  A.  Washburne  was  serving  as  United  States 
Minister.  Mr.  Washburne  made  him  his  private  secretary 
in  1866,  and  he  was  appointed  by  President  Lopez  to  write 
a  history  of  Paraguay.  While  this  work  was  in  progress, 
Lopez  declared  war  ,  against  Brazil,  Uruguay,  and  the 
Argentine  Republic,  and  from  this  event  the  trouble  of  the 


THEMORIAI,  OP   PORTER   C.  BLISS.          .  35! 

young  historian  began.  Knowing  that  he  had  come  from 
Brazil,  the  Paraguay  detectives  suspected  him  of  hostility  to 
Lopez,  and  his  footsteps  were  dogged  for  weeks  and  months. 
Finally  the  archives  of  the  Government  were  closed  to  him 
and  he  was  informed  that  his  contract  was  at  an  end  and 
that  he  would  not  be  paid  for  his  work.  Minister  Wash- 
burne  in  the  meantime  had  offered  his  mediation  between 
Lopez  and  the  enemy,  and  secured  a  treaty  \vith  the  under- 
standing that  if  Lopez  would  leave  the  country  his  life 
should  be  spared.  This  Lopez  declined  to  do,  and  the 
enemy  bombarded  the  city,  Mr.  Washbunie  had  resigned 
his  position  as  Minister,  and  a  boat  was  prepared  to  take 
him  away.  Mr.  Bliss  started  for  this  boat,  but  was  captured 
by  the  police  of  Lopez,  with  a  Mr.  Masterson,  and  thrown 
into  a  dungeon  until  night,  when  both  were  strapped  to  the 
backs  of  mules  and  carried  to  the  army  headquarters,  a 
day's  journey.  Here  they  were  scourged  and  tortured  by 
Avant  of  food  and  per  ecuted  in  every  conceivable  way  to 
force  them  to  confess  that  they  had  conspired  against  Lopez 
and  his  Government.  Mr.  Bliss's  head  was  tied  to  his  feet 
for  hours  at  a  time,  and  as  an  even  more  cruel  form  of 
torture  he  was  laid  on  his  face  and  a  terrible  pressure  was 
put  on  the  small  of  his  back.  He  had  been  arrested  on 
Sept.  10,  1868,  and  it  was  Dec.  10,  a  period  of  three  months, 
before  he  was  finally  relieved  from  imprisonment  and 
persecution,  on  the  demand  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, enforced  by  an  American  squadron. 

When  Mr.  Bliss  reached  Washington,  after  his  rough 
experience  in  Paraguay,  he  was  made  translator  to  the  State 
department,  a  position  which  his  extensive  knowledge  of 
languages  qualified  him  excellently  to  fill.  He  had  learned 
Spanish  in  three  weeks,  and  he  had  a  remarkable  talent  for 
acquiring  languages  and  dialects.  At  his  request  the 
Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs  of  the  House  investigated  the 
charges  made  against  him  in  Paraguay  by  the  Lopez  Govern- 
ment  and  declared  them  unfounded.  After  serving  a  few 
months  as  translator  he  took  editorial  charge  of  the  Wash- 
ington Chronicle,  in  the  winter  of  1869,  and  held  this  position 
until  July,  1870,  when  President  Grant  appointed  him 
Secretary  of  Legation  to  Mexico.  In  this  capacity  he  served 
until  July,  iSj4,  two  years  under  Minister  Thomas  H. 
Nelson,  of  Indiana,  and  two  under  the  Hon.  John  W. 
Foster,  now  Minister  to  Spain.  Here,  while  attending  to 
his  clerical  work  as  Secretary,  he  found  time  to  study  and 
write  on  the  history,  geography,  and  condition  of  Mexico 
and  on  American  enterprises  in  that  republic.  He  served 


352  EDITORIAL    MISCELLANIES. 

as  interpreter  between  Gens.  Rosecrans  and  Palmer,  the 
first  prc  moters  of  an  American  railroad  in  Mexico,  and  the 
Government  of  the  country,  and  did  a  great  deal  of  clerical 
work  for  England,  France,  and  Spain,  who  had  no 
representatives  in  Mexico  at  the  time.  For  three  months  at 
the  close  of  1872  he  served  as  acting  Minister  or  Charge 
d' Affaires  in  the  absence  of  the  Minister.  He  became  the 
active  member  of  the  Mexican  Geographical  and  Statistical 
Society,  and  was  Chairman-  of  the  Committee  on  Archaeo- 
logical Explorations,  in  which  capacity  he  visited  and 
excavated  the  sites  of  the  most  remarkable  ruins  in  the 
Valley  of  Mexico,  reports  on  which  were  published  in  the 
bulletins  of  the  society.  In  the  midst  of  all  these  arduous 
duties  he  still  found  time  to  do  something  for  humanity's 
sake.  He  succeeded  in  saving  from  execution  three 
prominent  officers  of  the  insurrectionary  forces  headed  by 
General,  now  President,  Diaz,  in  the  revolution  of  1872. 
These  officers  had  been  captured,  tried  by  a  drum-head 
court-martial,  and  condemned  to  death  within  48  hours  at 
the  city  of  Puebla.  One  of  them,  a  Col.  Meyer,  was  an 
Argentine  by  birth,  and  had  rendered  distinguished  services 
to  the  Union  Army  during  our  own  civil  war,  and  the  State 
Department  on  this  account  had  once  before  interceded  for 
him  and  secured  his  release  from  imprisonment.  Mr.  Bliss, 
after  spending  an  entire  day  fruitlessly  in  the  attempt  to 
interest  the  Cabinet  officers  in  the  late  of  the  condemned 
men,  finally,  at  n  o'clock  at  night,  when  they  were  to  be 
shot  at  daybreak,  almost  forced  his  way  into  the  presence 
of  President  Juarez,  and  succeeded  in  getting  the  execution 
suspended  by  a  telegraphic  order.  President  Juarez  died 
himself  within  two  weeks  of  that  time,  and  the  officers  were 
released.  For  this  service  Mr.  Bliss  received  the  personal 
thanks  of  Gen.  Diaz. 

In  the  summer  of  1874  Mr.  Bliss  came  to  this  city  and 
became  one  of  the  office  editors  of  Johnson's  Encyclopedia, 
taking  charge  of  the  biographical  department  and  contributed 
largely  to  several  of  the  others.  Over  1,500  of  the 
biographies  in  this  work  were  written  by  him,  and  the 
larger  and  more  important  ones  bear  his  signature.  He  also 
contributed  articles  on  Sanskrit  and  Portuguese  literature, 
and  on  many  other  subjects  requiring  special  preparation 
and  learning.  When  the  Encyclopedia  was  completed  in 
1877,  Mr.  Bliss  undertook  as  editor  and  part  proprietor  the 
management  of  a  literary  periodical  which  he  called  the 
Library  Table,  but  the  time  was  unfavorable  for  such  a 
publication  and  the  venture  proved  disastrous.  In  1878  he 


MEMORIAL   OF  YORTEH   C.  "BLISS.  ,o,> 

wrote  for  Hubbard  Brothers,  publishers,  of  Philadelphia,  a 
history  of  the  Russo-Turkish  war  which  ended  that  year, 
•entitled  "The  Conquest  of  Turkey,"  and  later  in  the  same 
year  became  one  of  the  editors  of  the  JSTew  York  Herald, 
having  charge  at  first  of  the  biographical  department, 
and  writing  matry  hundreds  of  biographies  of  living  men  of 
note  for  future  use.  He  also  wrote  editorials  and  geo- 
graphical, historical,  and  statistical  sketches,  for  which  his 
great  range  of  information  especially  fitted  him.  In  1879 
he  again  visited  South  America  for  the  Herald,  going  this 
time  to  the  west  coast  as  war  correspondent  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war  between  Chili,  Peru,  and  Bolivia.  He  spent  a 
greai  deal  of  time  at  Arica  and  Tacua,  the  headquarters  of 
the  Peruvian  and  Bolivian  armies,  and  became  a  great 
favorite  with  Presidents  Prado,  of  Peru,  and  Daza  of  Bolivia, 
During  this  visit  to  South  America  he  had  several  notable 
adventures,  one  of  which  was  sustaining  by  himself  a  bom- 
bardment 133-  the  Peruvian  monitor  Hauscar,  while  inside 
the  hull  of  the  abandoned  man-of-war  Wateree,  which  had 
been  carried  inland  nearly  a  mile  by  the  great  tidal  wave 
which  accompanied  the  earthquake  of  1869.  Mr.  Bliss  had 
walked  out  to  the  Wateree  to  inspect  her.  Just  as  he 
was  about  to  enter  the  hull  he  heard  a  loud  report,  and  a 
shell  whizzed  by  him.  Turning  toward  the  sea  he  saw  that 
the  Hauscar  was  engaged  in  target  practicing  and  using  the 
Wateree  as  the  target.  With  the  instinct  of  the  correspon- 
dent he  scrambled  into  the  hull  and  remained  there  two 
hours,  until  the  bombardment  ceased,  accurately  timing  the 
shells  and  writing  a  report  of  his  sensations. 

For  many  years  he  had  been  a  diligent  and  enthusiastic 
student  of  Oriental  antiquities,  particularly  relative  to 
Assyria,  Babylonia,  and  Egypt,  and  has  more  than  once 
been  on  the  point  of  undertaking  an  expedition  to  those 
regions,  but  was  prevented  by  unforseen  circumstances. 


354  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


FARIBAULT. 


FARIBAULT,  Minn.,  Oct.  6,  1885. 

We  are  now  in  one  of  the  New  States — a  part  of  the 
country  designated  in  our  early  Geographies  as  the  Great 
North  Western  territory,  with  no  State  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi or  north  of  the  Ohio  River  till  the  year  1821.  All 
this  region  from  Fort  du  Quesne  (now  Pittsburg)  west  .vc  id, 
including  the  West  Mississippi  Valley  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  bordering  on  the  gulf  to  Florida,  was  under  the  French 
Government,  whose  enterprising  subjects  explored  this  vast 
region,  and  gave  French  names  to  the  oldest  places,  which 
are  still  retainedi 

By  the  decisive  battle  on  the  plains  of  Abraham,  and  the 
subsequent  treaty  with  France,  it  became  English  territory, 
and  by  the  results  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  it  became 
United  States  territory,  and  the  southern  portion,  called  the 
lyouisana  territory,  became  a  portion  of  the  United  States  by 
purchase  from  Napoleon,  in  1808.  By  the  ordinance  of  1797 
this  territory  was  forever  dedicated  to  Freedom,  and  by  the 
results  of  the  war  of  1861-5,  the  southern  portion  also 
became  free. 

Twenty-four  years  ago,  when  the  slave  power  undertook 
to  sever  the  Union,  no  braver  or  more  faithful  defenders 
were  found  than  states  formed  from  the  Northwest  Territory. 
It  had  been  consecrated  by  the  fathers  to  freedom,  and  well 
did  they  maintain  the  consecration,  though,  when  it  wras 
made,  not  one  of  these  States  was  born,  and  the  large  cities 
like  Chicago,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis,  St.  Louis,  were 
unknown,  except  perhaps  as  French  Trading  posts. 

To  reach  here,  we  pass  along  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie, 
through  a  portion  of  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
and  Iowa  to  Minnesota,  making  five  States  which  were 
unknown  even  in  territorial  name  when  we  commenced  to 


FARIBAULT.  355 

study  Geography.  This  State  was  organized  as  a  territory 
in  1849,  and  in  1858  became  a  State  in  the  Union.  Its 
growth  has  been  most  marvelous.  From  a  population  of 
150,000  when  it  became  a  State,  to  nearly  800,000  in  1880, 
it  now  reaches  1,418,486,  as  shown  by  the  recent  census,  an 
increase  in  five  years  of  639,713.  Of  the  population  of  1880 
only  about  200,000  were  born  in  the  State;  200,000  in  other 
states  and  territories.  The  foreign  population  was  over 
300,000,  of  which  over  100,000  were  Scandinavians,  80,000 
Germans  and  80,000  English,  Irish  and  Scotch  colonists. 
The  vital  statistics  of  1880  show  25,300  births  to  9,802 
deaths,  showing  that  prolific  races  occupy  the  State.  Of 
the  total  population,  47,000  were  born  in  the  State  of  Xe\v 
York,  which  is  a  larger  number  than  came  from  any  other 
State.  Wisconsin  comes  next  with  44,000,  Illinois  16,000. 
Vermont  8,000,  Connecticut  2,000. 

The  State  of  Florida,  after  more  than  300  years  of  settle- 
ment, contains  less  than  300,000  inhabitants,  showing  less 
growth  of  population  in  300  years  than  Minnesota  has  in  the 
last  five  years-.  The  States  bordering  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
were  settled  by  the  most  powerful  nation  in  the  world  at 
that  time.  It  is  as  true  as  ever  that  "Westward,  the  Star 
of  Empire  takes  its  way." 

But  I  will  now  say  something  about  Faribault.  When 
here  fourteen  years  ago,  it  contained  about  2, 500  inhabitants. 
It  is  now  a  city  of  some  7,000.  It  is  the  shire  town  of  Rice 
County,  and  has  fine  county  buildings,  churches  and  business 
blocks.  It  has  also  several  State  institutions,  for  the  in- 
struction of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb,  the  Blind  and  the  Inbecile, 
each  of  which  have  very  fine  buildings,  erected  by  the  State, 
and  are  creditable  structures. 

It  is  the  fifth  place  in  size  in  the  State,  Minneapolis 
being  the  largest  and  St.  Paul  second.  Bishop  Whipple 
has  his  residence  here.  The  Seabury  Divinity  School,  the 
Shattuck  School  and  the  St.  Mary's  Seminary,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  P.  E.  Diocese,  located  here,  are  all  prosperous. 

This  place  is  nearly  200  miles  south  from  Duluth,  and  45 
miles  south  from  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis.  Minnesota  is 


$56  EDITORIAL   MISCEI,L ANTES. 

known  as  the  "'gopher  state. "  Its  name  is  of  Indian  origin, 
after  the  river  Minnesota,  which  signifies  whitish  or  sky 
colored  water.  Two  hundred  and  ten  years  ago  the  French 
explorers  visited  this  region,  arrd  Hennepin  and  La  Salle 
have  left  a  record  of  their  adventures  by  the  names  given  to> 
places  in  this  vast  region.  Fort  Snelling  was  built  in  1819,. 
and  is  still  one  of  the  most  important  military  posts.  The 
state  of  Minnesota  is  almost  twice  as  large  as  the  state  of 
New  York  and  comprises  83,365  square  miles.  Its  size 
north  of  the  parallel  of  Duluth  is  almost  as  large  as  the 
state  of  New  York.  It  is  noted  for  the  wonderful,  rapid 
growth  of  its  cities,  and  the  excellence  of  its  schools. 
Though  there  is  a  large  foreign  population,  consisting  of 
Germans,  Swedes  and  Norwegians,  they  mostly  own  farms 
and  are  successful  cultivators  of  the  soil.  The  beautiful 
lakes  interspersed  through  the  state,  where  fish  and  water- 
fowl are  found  in  abundance,  afford  recreation  to  the  worn 
out  business  man. 

This  state  has  high  license  and  local  option,  which  are 
said  to  work  wrell.  In  this  city,  and  all  places  of  this  or 
smaller  size,  the  license  is  fixed  at  $500.  The  number  of 
licenses  is  about  one  third  of  those  of  the  former  plan.  At 
St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  the  price  is  $1,000  for  each. 

Wheat  is  still  the  staple  product  of  the  state.  The  reaper 
and  binder  leaves  the  sheaves  bound  with  twine  on  the  field 
ready  to  be  shocked.  It  makes  us  regret  that  we  ever  spent 
so  much  time  in  reaping  rye  in  New  England  by  hand  and 
often  cutting  our  fingers  with  the  sickle.  But  without  that 
experience  we  would  not  know  how  to  appreciate  the 
advantage  of  machinery  at  the  present  time.  And  then  to 
see  the  steam  thresher  separating  the  grain  at  the  rate  of 
about  100  bushels  an  hour,  delivering  the  clean  wheat  in 
the  half  bushel  at  the  side  of  the  machine,  makes  us  regret 
that  we  wasted  so  much  time  in  our  younger  days,  threshing 
on  the  barn  floor  with  the  flail,  about  six  bushels  of  rye  in 
a  day,  and  separating  it  by  dropping  slowly  from  the  shovel 
while  the  wind  through  the  barn  carried  the  chaff  away. 
We  are  quite  sure  we  would  not  do  it  now,  and  no  farmer 


FARIBAULT.  357 

would  laboriously  work  in  the  manner  it  was  done  more 
than  sixty  years  ago. 

About  one-third  of  the  population  of  the  state  is  foreign, 
but  this  is  of  the  best  class,  being  largely  from  Sweden  and 
Norway.  They  make  good  farmers  and  useful  citizens, 
vastly  superior  to  the  hordes  of  Polanders  and  Italians  who 
invest  our  eastern  cities. 

A  ride  westerly  by  rail  of  some  sixty  miles,  brought  us  to 
the  city  of  Mankato,  on  the  Minnesota  river.  Immense 
stone  quarries  are  worked  there,  and  a  very  nice  building 
stone  is  found  in  the  quarries  on  the  river.  It  is  sent  to  St. 
Paul,  Minneapolis,  and  other  growing  places,  and  used  for 
building  immense  blocks  of  stone  and  public  buildings.  A 
large  factory  for  making  pails,  milk  pans,  cuspadores,  wash 
basins,  etc.  is  doing  a  large  business  here.  The  fibre  of  flax 
is  used  for  the  construction,  which  is  ground  into  pulp  and 
some  500  pails  per  day  are  made.  The  fibre  is  tough  and 
the  articles  made  are  quite  durable.  They  are  painted, 
baked  and  polished,  and  finished  so  nicely  that  the  material 
would  not  be  suspected  by  the  observer. 

Mankato  contains  some  9,000  population,  and  is  a  thriving 
city,  with  fine  hotels  and  business  blocks.  In  1862  it  was  a 
frontier  town,  where  the  Indian  massacre  took  place,  and 
some  i ,  200  pioneers  lost  their  lives  in  the  inhuman  butchery. 
Thirty-eight  red  men  were  hung  here  at  one  time  for  par- 
ticipating in  the  murders.  The  death  warrant  was  signed 
by  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  would  give  his  signature  only 
for  those  who  were  proved  to  have  actually  killed  white 
people.  Many  still  hold  that  the  only  good  Indians  are 
dead  ones. 


EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 


A  "PERSONATION/' 


[Prepared  lor   Fredonia  Literary   Club,    April  19,    1879,  by  L. 
McKinstry.     Published  in  CENSOR  of  Akil  30,  1879,} 

I  have  not  the  story  of  a  renowned  career  to  tell,  but 
simplj7  one  of  "the  short  and  simple  annals  of  the  poor,"' 
and  yet,  perhaps  its  recital  may  touch  a  sympathizing  chord 
in  some  of  my  hearers,,  and  point  a  moral  in  favor  of  patient r 
persistent  endeavor  to  do  one's  best,  even  though  the  results 
be  far  from  brilliant, 

I  trust  there  is  not  one  present  among  these  listeners 
whose  earliest  recollections  are  those  of  unhappiness,  and  I 
presume  that  none  of  you  had  a  childhood  upon  which  you 
look  back  with  a  shudder,  yet  such  was  my  unhappy  lot. 
My  father  died  before  I  can  remember.  My  mother,  left 
with  limited  means,  married  again,  but  her  second  husband 
was  a  ne'er-do-well,  who  gradual! 3-  wasted  his  own  little 
property  and  hers,  then  took  to  drink  and  finally  went  away, 
leaving  her  penniless,  with  a  dependent  family.  She  and 
my  sister  older  did  washing  and  worked  out  for  a  living,  my 
brother  older  was  apprenticed  to  a  printer  in  a  neighboring 
town,  and  I,  at  the  age  of  six  years,  was  "bound  out"  by 
the  town  poor-master  to  a  being  in  the  form  of  a  man  whom 
I  cannot  conscientiously  designate  otherwise  than  as  an 
incarnate  devil.  This  was  less  than  sixty  years  ago,  and  in 
the  heart  of  our  boasted  Empire  State,  yet  in  all  the  tales  of 
African  slavery  which  we  have  read  with  such  holy  horror, 
I  have  yet  to  learn  of  a  Southern  taskmaster  treating  a 
young  chattel  with  the  cruel  meanness  which  I  then  suffered. 
The  poorest  ragged  clothing  that  would  cover  me  was  all  I 
had.  I  slept  in  a  garret,  hardly  ever  had  enough  to  eat, 
never  looked  into  the  door  of  a  school  or  a  church,  and  was 
worked  to  the  utmost  of  my  strength,  literally  under  the 
lash.  I  will  mention  one  incident.  I  was  in  the  barn  feed- 
ing the  cattle,  when  this  man's  wife's  boy  came  in  and  found 


A    "PERSONATION'.""  359 

a  hen's  egg  which  he  dropped.  Hopper  came  in  and  the 
boy  told  him  that  I  broke  the  egg.  He  seized  me  and 
pounded  me  with  an  ox-gad  from  my  head  to  my  heels,  to 
make  me  confess,  until  finall)-  in  my  despair  and  terror  I 
consented  that  I  did  do  it;  then  he  flogged  me  again  the 
harder  for  having  lied  to  him. 

This  is  the  life  I  endured,  I  hardly  know  how,  during 
what  are  usually  called  the  tender  years  of  childhood,  from 
6  to  10,  and  then  I  resolved  to  escape.  I  ran  away  to  my 
mother's  house,  two  miles  distant,  in  the  edge  of  the  wroods 
and  back  from  the  highway  at  the  end  of  a  long  lane.  I 
was  standing  at  her  door  relating  my  story  when  Hopper 
came  up,  whirled  me  around  and  bade  me  go  back.  As  we 
went  down  the  lane  he  cut  a  limb  from  a  tree  and  struck  me 
across  the  back  every  step  I  took,  while  my  mother  was  in 
sight  and  screaming  for  mercy. 

A  few  months  afterward  I  again  ran  away  and  mother 
began  to  cry  as  soon  as  she  saw  me  approach,  begging  me 
to  go  back  for  fear  he  would  follow  and  kill  me.  I  said  I 
should  appeal  to  Captain  Felt,  the  Poormaster,  and  asked 
where  he  lived.  She  pointed  to  a  hay  field  in  sight  and 
said,  "there  he  is  now,  at  work."  I  went  there  and  said: 
"Please  sir,  are  you  the  man  that  binds  out  poor  little 
boys  ?  If  so  you  must  get  me  another  place  for  I  shall  not 
go  back  to  Hopper's."  While  I  was  narrating  my  wrongs, 
Hopper  came  up.  The  Poormaster  gave  me  no  encourage- 
ment that  he  would  do  anything,  but  he  did  go  to  one  side 
and  talk  with  Hopper,  then  returned  and  said:  "You  better 
go  back  and  be  a  good  boy  and  he  will  do  well  by  you." 
I  had  no  alternative,  and  was  really  more  hopeful  when  I 
was  allowed  to  go  to  bed  that  night  without  a  flogging. 
There  was  a  sort  of  negative  improvement  all  that  winter, 
that  is,  I  was  not  struck  and  kicked  so  much,  though  my 
fare  and  general  treatment  were  no  better. 

One  Sunday,  the  following  spring,  Hopper  and  his  wife 
went  visiting.  An  old  cat  which  he  had  frequently  com- 
plained of  and  "wished  somebody  would  shoot,"  attracted 
my  attention,  and  I  slaughtered  that  cat  with  the  double 


360  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

purpose  of  making  a  whip-lash  from  the  hide  and  pleasing 
my  guardian.  When  he  returned  that  night  and  saw  what 
I  had  done  he  was  the  reverse  of  pleased,  swore  like  a 
pirate  and  sent  me  to  bed  supperless  with  the  promise  of  an 
unprecedented  flogging .  in  the  morning.  While  he  and 
three  hired  men  were  eating  the  Monday  morning  breakfast, 
he  occupied  the  whole  meal  with  horrid  oaths  and  threats 
against  me,  as  I  stood  by  waiting  for  the  crumbs.  ''I'll 
come  back  from  the  coal  pit  in  time  to  tan  your  hide  for  you 
this  noon,"  he  said,  and  kept  repeating  the  threat  with  all 
the  variations  he  could  think  of.  He  set  me  to  making  an 
onion  bed  and  then  want  off  with  the  men  to  the  charcoal 
pit,  the  last  words  I  heard  from  him  being  oaths  and  similar 
threats. 

Soon  afterward,  to  my  great  joy,  his  wife  and  boy  went 
visiting,  and  I  was  left  alone.  '"Now,"  I  resolved,  "if  he 
whales  me  again  he  will  have  to  do  it  when  I  am  running. ' ' 
I  found  one  extra  shirt  that  was  clean,  rolled  it  in  a  hand- 
kerchief, wrapped  in  it  a  chestnut  whistle  I  had  made,  my 
only  toy  and  treasure,  saw  that  the  sixpence  which  consti- 
tuted my  whole  cash  assets,  was  safe  in  a  sort  of  purse,  and 
started  •  to  go  to  my  mother  in  her  new  home  in  Buffalo, 
whither  she  had  recently  moved.  It  occurred  to  me  that  I 
would  need  more  money,  and  I  searched  the  house  and 
found  five  Spanish  quarters.  Then  I  thought,  '  'he  will  follow 
me  to  the  end  of  the  world  for  that  money  and  perhaps  he 
wouldn't  to  get  me,  "so  I  put  back  the  five  quarters  and 
with  my  one  shirt  and  little  chestnut  wliistle  in  a  bundle, 
and  a  solitary  sixpence  in  my  pocket,  I  made  my  third  run 
for  liberty.  '• 

I  shall  never  forget  that  May  morning.  How  beautiful 
the  sun  shone  !  Not  a  cloud  was  in  sight,  all  nature  was 
putting  on  the  lovely  hues  of  summer,  and  many  a  tree  was 
white  with  blossoms.  What  I  have  always  regarded  as  a 
very  strange  circumstance  in  this  connection  is,  that  not- 
withstanding the  day  was  so  bright  and  beautiful,  and  all 
out  of  doors  so  pleasant  and  attractive,  not  a  soul  saw  me  as 
I  passed  along  the  road  through  that  farming  settlement. 


A  "PERSONATION."  361 

I  had  been  sent  with  loads  of  charcoal  toBushnell's  Basin, 
eight  miles  distant  on  the  Erie  canal,  and  thither  I  decided 
to  go,  intending  to  follow  the  tow-path  from  there  to  Buffalo 
and  mother.  One  man  passed  me  with  a  team,  and  I  said, 
"'Please  sir,  may  I  ride?"  "No,  you  little  rascal,  you  are 
running  away,"  was  his  rough  reply,  and  he  drove  on  out 
of  sight.  I  stopped  by  the  brooks  and  pla}*ed  in  the  water, 
and  wet  my  whistle  and  blew  it  for  amusement,  so  it  was 
about  dusk  when  I  reached  Bushnell's  Basin,  and  as  I 
walked  out  on  the  bridge  over  the  canal  and  thought  ot  my 
hunger  and  destitution,  and  the  hundreds  of  miles  between 
there  and  Buffalo  to  be  tramped  over  with  my  bare  feet,  I 
wept  bitter  tears. 

I  finally  mustered  up  courage  to  knock  at  the  door  of  an 
humble  wood  colored  house  on  the  bank  of  the  canal,  and 
when  the  door  was  opened  I  timidly  said,  "Please  ma'am, 
will  you  give  me  some  supper  and  let  me  stay  all  night  ?  I 
have  had  nothing  to  eat  since  morning."  I  shall  never 
forget  that  angelic  woman's  reply: — "Bless  your  heart," 
said  she,  "of  course  I  will.  Come  in."  The  family  had 
had  their  supper,  but  she  cooked  meat  and  potatoes  especial- 
ly for  me  and  .  gave  me  such  a  meal  as  I  had  never  had 
before  in  all  my  life;  then  she  put  me  in  a  comfortable  bed 
with  a  kind  good  night.  Next  morning  I  told  her  my  '.vish 
to  go  to  Buffalo,  and  inquired  for  work  to  earn  some  passage 
money.  She  sent  me  to  a  man  back  on  the  hill  who  wanted 
a  boy  to  make  garden,  and  I  was  hired  at  two  shillings  a 
day  and  board.  I  was  working  hard  and  doing  my  best, 
when  about  nine  o'clock  he  sent  me  to  the  village  for  a  jug 
of  whisky.  By  noon  he  was  beastly  drunk  and  abused  me 
so  that  I  asked  him  to  pay  me  for  what  I  had  done  and  let 
me  go.  He  refused  with  drunken  rage.  I  said  "Good  day. 
sir,"  and  started.  That  night  I  was  in  Rochester. 

Another  kind  woman  lodged  me  there,  and  next  morning 
earh-  I  was  trotting  along  on  the  tow-path,  westward.  A 
passenger  boat  overtook  me  just  as  a  young  man  on  deck 
shot  a  red-headed  woodpecker.  I  caught  the  wounded  bird 
as  it  fluttered  to  the  ground,  and  threw  it  on  board.  Said 


362  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

a  man  at  the  bow,  "Boy,  where  are  you  going?"  "To 
Buffalo,  sir,"  I  replied,  still  running  along  side.  "Wouldn't 
you  like  to  ride?"  There  was  but  one  answer  to  that 
question,  and  obeying  his  direction  to  run  ahead  to  a  certain 
place,  he  brought  the  boat  up  near  the  bank  and  I  jumped 
on. 

Four  days  on  the  packet,  running  night  and  day,  brought 
me  to  Buffalo,  where  I  began  inquiring  for  mother  as  soon 
as  I  stepped  off  the  boat,  and  continued  my  search  all  day. 
Nobody  could  tell  me  anything  about  her.  The  idea  that  I 
should  be  in  her  arms  as  soon  as  I  reached  Buffalo  had 
sweetened  my  whole  journey;  no  other  contingency  had 
occurred  to  my  boyish -mind,  and  now  when  the  shades  of 
night  began  to  fall  and  I  realized  that  I  was  practically  as 
far  from  her  as  ever  and  in  a  strange  city,  without  a  friend 
or  acquaintance,  I  confess  that  I  made  no  attempt  to 
control  or  conceal  my  utter  desolation  of  heart.  But  blessed 
be  the  Maker  of  us  all,  kind  hearts  and  noble  natures  do 
not  depend  upon  any  refinement  of  matter  that  comes  from 
cultivated  intellect  or  accustomed  wealth.  A  number  of 
poor  workmen  gathered  around  me  and,  learning  my  dis- 
appointment, began  awkward  but  sincere  attempts  to  console 
me.  Bach  one  gave  me  a  little  piece  of  money  and  one 
finally  said: — "The  L,ord  knows  I  am  poor  enough,  and 
have  family  enough,  but  I'm  agoin'  to  take  the  little  feller 
home  with  me  till  he  can  find  his  mother. ' '  I  stayed  with 
that  man  all  summer,  finding  no .  trace  of  her,  though  I 
afterwards  learned  that  when  I  went  to  Black  Rock  to  catch 
fish  to  sell,  I  was  frequently  within  30  rods  of  her  house. 

That  Fall  my  good  Samaritan  sent  me  to  his  relative  in 
Dunkirk,  who  was  a  mason  by  trade,  and  equally  poor,  but 
kindly  gave  me  shelter  through  the  winter.  Needing  some 
shoes  I  went  to  that  excellent  man,  Mr.  Seth  S.,  and  he 
agreed  to  make  me  a  pair  for  two  cords  of  hemlock  bark 
which  I  peeled  from  fallen  trees  in  the  rear  of  the  lot  where 
the  Dunkirk  central  school  house  now  stands,  and  drew  it 
with  a  borrowed  team.  As  I  was  unloading  the  bark,  Mr. 
S.  said,  "Wouldn't  you  like  to  come  and  learn  my  trade  ?" 


A  "PERSONATION."  363 

"I  would  like  any  thing,  sir,  to  earn  my  living,"  I  said. 
I  became  a  member  of  his  family  and  there  received  the 
first  religious  instruction  I  ever  had,  and  in  Mayville,  where 
he  sent  me  to  work  for  his  brother  the  Fall  afterwards,  I 
had  my  first  and  only  term  of  schooling,  after  I  was  fourteen 
years  old.  Previous  to  that  age  I  did  not  know  how  to  read 
a  line  or  write  my  own  name. 

The  rest  is  soon  told  but  I  cannot  forbear  mentioning  with 
some  satisfaction  the  temporary  misery  which  came  to  the 
heathen  from  whom  I  escaped.  He  returned  to  the  house 
before  noon  and  ahead  of  his  men,  the  day  I  left,  to  give 
me  the  flogging  he  had  so  fiendishly  portrayed  and  promised 
me  that  morning.  I' was  gone;  and  when  the  men  came  in 
he  could  not  tell  what  had  become  of  me.  The  most 
vigilant  inquiry  in  every  direction  failed  to  find  a  neighbor 
who  had  seen  anything  of  me.  Although  I  had  walked 
away  openly,  upon  the  highway,  and  in  the  bright  sunlight 
of  a  mild  May  day,  as  I  have  mentioned  before,  not  a  person 
in  the  settlement  happened  to  witness  my  flight.  The  hired 
men  repeated  Hopper's  threats  addressed  to  me  that  morning 
at  the  breakfast  table,  and  his  purpose  in  going  to  the  house 
from  the  woods  before  noon,  and  the  conclusion  was  im- 
mediately arrived  at  that  in  his  rage  he  had  killed  me  and 
hid  the  body.  His  most  solemn  protestations  that  I  was 
gone  when  he  returned  to  the  house  and  he  knew  not  where 
I  was,  were  of  no  avail.  His  violent  temper  and  previous 
cruelty  to  me  were  well  known  and, coupled  with  his  threats 
made  in  the  morning,  satisfied  the  community  that  he  was  a 
cowardly  murderer,  and  so  he  was  branded  for  more  than  a 
year.  My  older  brother  notified  him  that  he  should 
advertise  for  me,  and  that  unless  I  was  found,  a  criminal 
prosecution  would  be  commenced,  and  the  miserable  wretch 
meanwhile  passed  his  time  in  trembling  fear  of  the  gallows. 
Finally  Mr.  S.  saw  a  paper  with  the  advertisement  for 
information  of  my  whereabouts,  and  he  wrote  to  my  brother, 
who  then  wrote  to  my  mother  at  Black  Rock  and  thus  was 
I  put  in  communication  with  her. 


564  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

The  personations  you  have  had  this  winter  have  all  related 
to  famous  characters  in  history,,  and  I  sympathize  in  your 
disappointment  that  this  does  not  culminate  in  the  recital  of 
some  world -renowned  triumph  achieved,  or  thrilling  deeds 
performed,,  and  yet  to  you  who  have  known  me  as  I  have 
pursued  my  humble  calling  among  you  the  past  forty  years,. 
I  feel  that  I  can  confidently  appeal  for  testimony  that  I  have 
made  creditable  progress  from  a  most  sad  and  ill-starred 
beginning,  I  have  been  an  ordained  preacher  for  thirty 
years  and  am  frequently  complimented  upon  my  correct 
forms  of  expression,  although  I  do  not  know  a  rule  of 
grammar.  Learning  to  read  after  I  was  fourteen  years  old, 
I  have  spent  25  years  studying  the  Bible,  and  venture  to 
say  that  not  even  your  theological  graduates  are  more 
familiar  with  its  teachings-.  I  have  been  the  author  of  a 
number  of  published  doctrinal  "essays,  and  even  those  who 
disagreed  with  their  conclusions  have  had  no  criticism  to 
make  on  their  logical  arrangement  and  clearness  and  vigor 
of  style. 

But  I  have  not  aimed  at  fame  in  these  directions.  I 
simply  claim  to  have  followed  the  right  as  God  has  given 
me  to  ses  the  right,  and  feel  thankful  that  I  was  endowed 
with  those  tendencies.  Although  my  income  has  not 
averaged  over  $300  a  year  since  I  began  business  among 
you,  I  have  been  able  to  satisfy  all  my  necessities,  have 
acquired  a  comfortable  home  and  other  property,  owe  no 
man  aught  but  good -will,  and  no  man  has  ever  lost  a  dollar 
by  me.  I  trust  it  will  be  said  that  the  'world  is  none  the 
worse  for  my  having  lived  in  it.  "I  have  fought  the  good 
fight;  I  have  kept  the  faith."  Notwithstanding  my  early 
sorrows  and  later  afflictions  I  feel  that  I  have  been  greatly 
blessed,  and  in  the  words  of  another:*  "Looking  calmly,  yet 
humbly,  to  that  close  of  my  mortal  career  which  cannot  be  far 
distant,  I  reverently  thank  God  for  the  blessings  vouchsafed 
me  in  the  past;  and  with  an  awe  that  is  not  fear,  and  a 
consciousness  of  demerit  which  does  not  exclude  hope,  I 
*  Horace  Greeley. 


A    "PERSONATION."  365 

await   the   opening   before   my   steps  of  the   gates  of  the 
Eternal  World." 

[From  the  Fredonia  CKXSOR  of  May  7,  1879.] 

The  subject  of  the  "Personation"  on  the  fourth  page  of 
our  last  issue,  was  readily  guessed  by  most  of  our  village 
readers,  Elder  Charles  W.  Low  having  been  so  long  a 
fellow  citizen  that  more  or  less  had  been  learned  of  his 
history  by  many  of  his  neighbors.  It  is  but  justice  to  Mr. 
Low  to  state  that  the  article  was  not  prepared  at  his 
suggestion,  in  fact  he  knew  nothing  about  it  until  after  it 
had  been  read  in  the  Literary  Club.  The  facts  were  learned 
by  the  author  in  a  casual  conversation  one  evening  and 
without  at  that  time  any  purpose  of  reporting  or  printing 
them.  The  events  narrated  in  this  rather  romantic  and 
pathetic  story,  were  all  actual  occurences,  and  the  compli- 
mentary comments  on  the  attainments  and  honorable 
position  achieved  by  the  gentleman  "personated,"  we 
believe  to  be  entirely  just  and  deserved.  There  was  an 
error  in  calling  the  conveyance  on  which  young  Low  came 
to  Buffalo,  a  'packet."  It  was  one  of  the  "line  boats"  on 
board  of  which  the  captain  so  kindly  invited  him.  These 
boats  were  drawn  by  horses  on  a  walk,  which  accounts  for 
four  days  being  occupied  in  going  from  near  Rochester  to 
Buffalo.  The  regular  passenger  packets  wrere  drawn  by 
horses  frequently  changed  and  kept  at  smart  trot,  and  being 
given  the  preference  at  the  locks,  made  the  whole  distance 
from  Albany  to  Buffalo  in  four  days.  When  Mr.  Low  came 
to  Dunkirk  fifty-one  years  ago  last  Fall,  there  was  scarcely 
a  house  east  of  Center  street  or  south  of  Third  street.  Mr. 
Seth  Starr's  shoe  shop  where  he  went  to  wyork  was  on  Front 
street,  facing  the  lake  and  some  distance  west  of  the  corner 
of  Center  street.  When  he  went  to  Mayville  to  work  for 
Joseph  Starr,  51  years  ago  next  Fall,  he  walked  by  way  of 
Fredonia  and  Westfield  on  Thanksgiving  day.  The  road  to 
this  village  was  nearly  all  through  the  woods,  and  much  of 
the  way  from  here  to  Mayville  was  bordered  by  the  primeval 
forest. 


366  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES, 


TO  ALABAMA  AND  RETURN— 1874. 


EDITORIAL    EXCURSION    OF    NEW    YORK    EDITORS    IN 
RESPONSE  TO  INVITATION  OF  THE  EDITORIAL  AS- 
SOCIATION OF  ALABAMA. 


Several  Alabama  editors  visited  with  the  N.  Y.  State 
Association  at  Watertown  in  1872,  and  were  greatly  pleased 
with  their  reception.  Their  State  Association  reciprocated 
the  kind  attentions  and  invited  our  State  Association  to  visit 
them  in  their  Southern  homes.  The  invitation  was  accepted, 
and  H.  N.  Beach,  of  the  Brockport  Republican,  and  Edgar 
Parker  of  the  Geneva  Gazette,  were  selected  as  leaders. 

The  party  converged  from  the  different  railroad  lines  in 
the  State  at  Salamanca,  on  the  evening  of  May  12,  1874, 
and  was  composed  of  48  editors,  of  whom  13  had  their 
wives — making  61  pec/ple  in  the  party.  The  following  is  a 
partial  list  of  those  who  wrote  up  the  trip  for  their 
respective  papers: 

H.  N.  Beach,  Republic,  Brockport;  B.  G.  Berry,  Tele- 
graph, Norwich;  J.  N.  Bailey,  Independent,  Auburn;  C. 
E.  Benton,  Advertiser,  Fredonia;  A.  W.  Ferrin,  Republican, 
Little  Valley;  A.  H.  Hall,  Times,  Watertown:  S.  G. 
Hamlin,  Union,  Schenectady;  Henry  Humphries,  Indepen- 
dent, Mexico;  E.  M.  Johnson,  Herald,,  Oneonta;  A.  C. 
Kessinger,  Sentinel,  Rome;  C.  H.  Keeler,  Record,  Owego; 
O.  H.  P.  Kinney,  Advocate,  Waverly;  H.  J.  Knapp, 
Journal,  Auburn;  R.  S.  Lewis,  Batavian,  Batavia;  W. 
McKinstry,  Censor,  Fredonia;  J.  E.  Member,  Standard, 
Fishkill;  S.  R.  Morgan,  Mercury,  Middletown;  Edgar 
Parker,  Gazette,  Geneva;  A.  S.  Pease,  Sun,  Saratoga;  J. 
A.  Place,  Times,  Oswego;  A.  P.  Ripley,  Advocate,  Buffalo; 
W.  A.  Smyth,  Times  Owego;  John  W.  Slauson,  Press, 
Middletown;  D.  D.  Waite,  Advocate,  Batavia;  J.  Wilson, 
Courier,  Newark. 

J.  N.  Abbott,  of  the  Erie  road,  took  charge  of  the  party 
as  far  as  Cincinnati.  Pulman  cars  had  been  furnished  our 


TO   ALABAMA  AND   RETURN — 1874.  367 

party,  and  every  appliance  for  our  comfort  was  provided. 
Cincinnati  was  reached  in  the  early  morning,  and  the  day 
pleasantly  spent  there  at  their  best  hotel  and  in  pleasant 
rides,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  to 
which  we  were  invited,  and  where  speeches  of  welcome 
were  made  and  responded  to.  The  next  morning  we  were 
taken  to  Louisville,  wrhere  the  day  and  night  were  pleasantly 
spent  with  headquarters  at  the  Gait  House.  Col.  Theodore 
Welch,  of  Montgomery,  Ala.,  was  designated  by  the  L.  &  N. 
R'y  Co.  to  take  charge  of  our  party.  He  is  a  most  courteous 
gentleman,  and  won  the  esteem  of  all  and  provided  a  special 
train  much  of  the  way  to  the  Southern  limit  of  our  trip. 
Col.  C.  A.  Powell,  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Birmingham,  joined 
our  party  to  that  city,  some  400  miles  distant. 

Our  next  stopping  place  was  at  Cave  City,  from  which 
we  were  taken  by  stages  like  the  old  Ohio  stage  line,  to  the 
Mammoth  Cave.  It  was  a  very  rough  road  and  some  three 
hours  of  jolting  over  the  rocks  and  through  mud  holes 
brought  us  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave.  Here  several  hours 
were  spent,  each  with  a  lamp,  in  exploring  the  labyrinths 
of  this  subterranean  wonder.  Some  four  hours  were  spent  in 
rambling  through  this  remarkable  wonder  of  nature,  re- 
turning in  time  to  resume  our  railroad  travel  so  as  to  reach 
Nashville  in  the  early  Sunday  morning,  all  highly  pleased 
with  our  nocturnal  ramble. 

Preparations  had  been  made  for  our  reception  at  the 
capital  of  Tennessee,  and  we  were  hei  e  treated  with  a  taste 
of  Southern  hospitality,  which  was  continued  through  our 
whole  trip  in  the  South.  We  were  taken  to  the  Maxwell 
House  and  committees  were  in  readiness  to  conduct  our 
party  to  the  several  churches  of  our  choice.  In  the  after- 
noon there  were  over  100  of  the  colored  people  baptized  in 
the  Cumberland  River,  while  more  than  10,000  lined  the 
banks  to  witness  the  ceremony.  On  Monday  carriages 
were  provided  and  we  were  taken  to  the  State  House,  the 
residence  of  the  widow  of  President  James  K.  Polk,  where 
we  were  pleasantly  received,  and  also  to  the  residence  of 


368  EDITORIAL  MISCELLANIES. 

Mrs.    Brown,    widow   of    the    Postmaster    General    during 
Buchanan's  administration. 

From  Nashville  our  party  proceeded  to  Biimingham, 
then  a  new  city,  laid  out  with  taste,  and  planned  for  a  city 
of  many  thousand  people,  which  it  has  since  become.  Here 
we  met  the  Alabama  Press  Association  and  spent  the  day 
very  pleasantly  with  them.  We  then  went  to  Tuscaloosa, 
the  former  capital  of  the  State,  and  had  a  delightful  recep- 
tion in  that  beautiful  city — known  as  the  Athens  of  the 
South.  At  Montgomery,  where  Jeff.  Davis  was  inaugurated 
President  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  we  had  a  delightful 
time  and  were  shown  many  remarkable  places  of  interest. 
Other  places  visited  were:  Anniston,  Ala.,  an  iron  town, 
Rome,  Ga.,  and  Atlanta,  the  finest  city  in  the  South.  A 
very  interesting- visit  was  made  to  Chattanooga,  including 
the  battlefield  of  Missionary  Ridge  and  Lookout  Mountain. 
A  very  pleasant  time  was  also  had  at  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
once  the  home  of  Parson  Brownlow.  From  there  train  was 
taken  for  Washington  where  the  party  was  received  by 
President  Grant,  and  all  the  places  of  interest  were  visited. 
At  Philadelphia  Mr.  Geo.  W.  Childs,  editor  ot  the  Phila- 
delphia Ledger,  entertained  the  whole  party  in  splendid 
style. 

The  whole  trip  remains  in  the  memory  of  every  participant 
as  one  of  the  most  delightful  experiences  of  life.  Full 
accounts  were  written  in  all  the  papers  represented,  which  I 
have  carefully  preserved  in  a  scrap  book.  The  following 
extract  is  from  an  editorial  in  the  CENSOR,  of  June  10,  1874, 
after  our  return,  entitled  "To  the  South  and  Back:" 

In  our  trip  we  passed  through  ten  States,  six  of  them 
south  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  and  during  all  the  trip 
south  we  were  the  recipients  of  unbounded  hospitalities  and 
every  facility  afforded  to  ascertain  the  true  condition  of  our 
sister  States  of  the  South.  We  had  pnblic  receptions  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  Birmingham,  Tuscaloosa,  Selma,  and 
Montgomery  in  Alabama,  Rome  and  Atlanta  in  Georgia, 
Chattanooga  and  Knoxville  in  Bast  Tennessee.  We  found 
a  kind  of  fraternal  feeling  existing  wherever  we  went,  and 


TO  ALABAMA   AND   RETURN — 1874.  369 

not  only  a  readiness  to  "shake  hands  across  the  bloody 
chasm, ' '  but  scarcely  a  '  'chasm' '  remaining.  The  South  has 
accepted  the  situation  and  in  all  the  addresses  of  welcome 
which  our  party  received,  the  most  fraternal  feeling  was 
expressed.  Considering  how  demoralized  they  have  been 
by  slavery  and  its  attendant  dearth  of  enterprise  and 
industry,  we  were  surprised  at  the  recuperative  power 
exhibited  in  their  leading  cities.  The  war  left  them  im- 
poverished and  comparatively  helpless.  They  could  no 
longer  compel  labor,  and  must  now  depend  on  their  own 
resources.  Yet  we  saw  cities  like  Atlanta,  which  had  been 
entire!}'  devastated  by  the  fortunes  of  war,  and  left  almost 
without  an  inhabitant,  now  springing  into  new  life  as  by 
magic;  hotels,  business  places,  churches  and  schools  erected, 
which  would  do  honor  to  any  northern  city,  and  the  people 
happy  and  prosperous.  While  formerly  ignorance  was  the 
rule  with  the  colored  population,  and  no  free  schools  for  the 
whites,  we  now  see  education  encouraged  among  all  classes 
and  conditions,  and  equal  division  of  the  school  fund 
between  whites  and  colored,  and  an  air  of  appreciation  of 
the  value  of  American  citizenship,  which  we  had  not  hoped 
for  from  a  people  so  recently  engaged  in  an  effort  to  sever 
the  Union.  In  fact,  in  three  several  visits  to  the  South 
since  the  war,  we  have  never  met  an  individual  who  would 
acknowledge  a  wish  that  slavery  should  be  restored.  They 
now  generally  look  upon  the  institution  as  having  been  the 
bar  to  Northern  enterprise,  to  the  manufacturing  interests, 
and  the  development  of  their  natural  resources.  In  view  of 
the  sparsity  of  their  population,  their  poverty  in  mechanical 
industries,  and  all  the  resources  necessary  to  carry  on  a  war 
against  double  their  number  fully  equipped  for  belligerent 
action,  it  is  surprising  that  they  were  enabled  to  endure  a 
contest  of  four  years  with  so  much  valor,  and  with  so  much 
success  on  many  a  hard  contested  field.  Now  that  we  are 
a  reunited  people,  we  may  well  be  proud  of  their  valor  as 
well  as  of  our  own  faithful  heroes  who  fought  and  died  for 
the  protection  of  the  old  flag,  and  throughout  the  South, 
where  the  garnered  dust  of  the  brave  men  who  fell  in  the 


370  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

fratricidal  contest  reposes,  the  blue  and  the  gray  have  alike 
received  the  tribute  of  respect  which  a  chivalrous  people 
bestow  on  the  brave . 

In  business  circles  all  "roots  of  bitterness"  are  fast  dying 
out.  The  mingling  of  people  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
with  each  other  has  produced  this  result.  As  the  comming- 
ling of  the  best  seed  of  the  old  world  has  made  ours  the 
most  powerful  and  prosperous  nation  in  the  world,  so  the 
mixture  of  population  from  all  portions  of  our  own  country 
will  develop  a  prosperity  which  can  be  attained  in  no  other 
way.  For  the  attainment  of  the  highest  results  there  must 
be  no  sectional  differences  in  the  family  of  States.  Enter- 
prise and  industry  must  have  an  untrameled  course  in  all 
the  States,  and  American  citizenship  should  be  a  passport 
to  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  several  States.  We 
have  great  faith  that  our  Union  is  cemented  more  strongly 
by  the  result  of  the  past  differences,  and  the  more  the 
several  sections  see  of  each  other  the  greater  will  be  the 
mutual  regard  and  respect.  In  this  view  we  cannot  but 
regard  the  visit  of  representatives  of  the  press  from  all  parts 
of  the  State  as  fraught  with  good  to  us  and  them.  The 
fraternal  feeling  has  been  greatly  enhanced,  and  whenever 
any  of  our  friends  whose  princely  hospitality  we  shared, 
shall  visit  the  North,  they  may  be  assured  of  a  most  cordial 
reception  and  welcome. 


THE  HANGING  OF  THE  CRANE.          37 1 


THE  HANGING  OF  THE  CRANE. 


O  fortunate,  O  happy  day, 
When  a  new  household  finds  its  place 
Among  the  myriad  homes  of  earth, 
Like  a  new  star  just  sprung  to  birth, 
And  rolled  on  its  harmonious  way 
Into  the  bo  mdless  realms  of  space  ! 
So  said  the  guests  in  speech  and  song, 
As  in  the  chimney,  burning  bright, 
We  hung  the  iron  crane  to-night, 
And  merry  was  the  feast  and  long. 

— Longfellow. 

EDITORIAL   CORRESPONDENCE. 

CHICOPEE,  MASS.,  May  23,  1882. 

DEAR  CENSOR: — It  is  fifty  years  since  I  left  the  family 
hearthstone  for  a  residence  of  four  years  at  Northampton  to 
learn  the  printer's  art.  There  was  literally  a  hearthstone 
here  then,  for  the  broad  fire  place,  with  brick  oven,  and 
receptacle  for  ashes  underneath,  the  large  crane,  where 
pots  and  kettles  were  wont  to  hang  over  the  blazing  fire, 
were  then  realities,  and  when  my  parents  some  eighty  years 
ago  had  commenced  housekeeping,  "The  Hanging  of  the 
Crane,"  so  beautifully  described  by  Longfellow,  was  a 
realization  to  the  then  youthful  couple  who  commenced  life's 
journey  together.  In  process  of  time  eleven  children  were 
born  in  that  humble  abode,  of  which  nine  grew  to  mature 
years.  Two  summers  ago,  seven  of  these  nine  children 
gathered  at  the  old  homestead,  some  with  children  and 
grandchildren,  and  one  with  a  great  grandchild.  But  the 
youthful  couple  of  eighty  years  ago,  had  long  since  departed 
to  the  other  shore  to  await  the  arrival  of  those  who  were  to 
succeed  them  and  take  up  life's  burdens  where  they  had 
left  them.  Many  of  the  houses  along  the  street  are  occupied 
by  strangers. 


372  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

One  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago,  my  grandfather,  then 
four  years  from  Yale  College,  was  invited  to  a  life  settlement 
over  the  second  parish  of  Springfield.  He  was  then  un- 
married. The  house  to  which  he  took  his  youthful  bride 
(a  descendant  of  the  Chapins)  is  standing,  but  the  crane, 
the  trammels-,  and  the  huge  fire  place  around  which  were 
gathered  the  children  who  grew  up  around  them,  have  all 
passed  away,  as  well  as  those  who  more  than  one  hundred 
years  ago  had  their  youthful  sports  around  the  hearthstone 
and  enjoyed  the  merry  Thanksgiving  season  there. 

In  his  settlement  it  was  provided  that  he  should  receive 
as  a  salary  £40  per  year,  and  a  load  of  pine  knots  by  the 
light  of  which  he  could  pursue  his  studies  and  the  prepara- 
tion of  his  sermons.  As  the  insignia  of  his  office,  he  wore 
a  wig  with  flowing  curls  coming  down  over  his  shoulders, 
which  is  now  preserved  in  the  town  library  of  Chicopee.  It 
was  provided  in  his  settlement  that  his  salary  should  be  in- 
creased after  his  marriage, which  was  a  presumption  that  his 
family  expenses  would  be  increased.  The  church  building 
in  which  he  preached  was  a  venerable  looking  structure, 
with  galleries  on  three  sides,  the  pews  square  so  that  the 
family  sat  facing  each  other,  and  full  half  of  the  occupants 
sat  with  backs  toward  the  preacher.  The  clapboards  which 
covered  the  building  were  of  riven  oak,  about  three  inches 
wide  and  three  feet  long,  and  beaded  on  the  lower  edge. 
Over  the  windows  were  ornamented  caps  projecting,  in 
which  the  martins,  swallows  and  bats  had  comfortable 
houses.  There  never  was  a  fire  in  the  building,  but  in  cold 
weather  the  good  housewife  carried  her  foot  stove  filled  with 
live  coals  from  the  glowing  fire  place  at  home,  which  was 
passed  around  to  the  different  members  of  the  family  so 
that  all  might  have  a  share  in  its  warmth.  The  good 
deacon,  wrho  sat  opposite  the  minister  in  the  gallery,  pitched 
the  tunes  with  a  pitch  pipe,  a  kind  of  adjustable  whistle, 
and  the  tunes  of  olden  times,  like  Dundee,  Mear,  Durham, 
Old  Hundred,  etc. ,  were  very  impressive  as  the  inspired 
hvmns  of  Dr.  Wattts  were  rendered  in  the  music  of  those 


THE   HANGING   OF  THE   CRANE.  373 

days'  The  "tythingman,"  an  official  of  those  days  appoint- 
ed at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  parish,  had  charge  to  keep 
order,  and  well  do  we  remember  the  chagrin  of  the  thought- 
less lad  who  should  smile  or  make  a  noise  during  the 
service,  when  the  dignified  official  would  rap  on  the  front 
of  the  seat  and  with  a  stern  look  of  disapprobation  point  to 
the  unwitting  lad,  who  became  the  talk  among  the  other 
better  behaved  lads  and  was  the  subject  of  discipline  when 
he  should  return  home.  The  preaching  was  supported  by 
tax  on  all  who  lived  in  the  parish,  and  the  salary  was  raised 
by  assessment  on  property  like  any  other  town  or  local  tax. 
The  pulpit  was  an  elevated  structure,  reached  by  some 
dozen  stairs,  and  over  it  the  .sounding  board,  an  ornamented 
conical  structure  covered  on  the  under  side  with  a  resonant 
ceiling,  which  should  throw  the  sound  of  the  voice  directly 
at  the  audience.  The  praises  of  the  choir,  however,  could 
ascend  without  interruption.  This  venerable  church  edifice 
was  removed  about  fifty  years  ago  and  a  more  modern 
structure  erected.  There  are  very  few  of  the  old  time 
edifices  now  left  in  New  England.  The  old  South  Church 
in  Boston  is  among  those  saved. 

There  is  a  historical  interest  connected  with  this  portion 
of  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Connecticut,  now  known  as 
Chicopee  street.  Here  the  six  sons  of  Dea.  Samuel  Chapin 
settled  some  240  years  ago  and  raised  families  the  descendants 
of  which  are  now  numbered  by  thousands.  They  were  men 
of  nerve  as  well  as  moral  power.  Of  the  church  over  which 
my  grandfather  settled,  all  were  Chapins  but  two.  No  one 
then  made  a  mistake  of  name  when  meeting  a  person  in 
calling  his  name  Chapin.  At  the  Chapin  gathering  in 
Springfield  some  twenty  years  ago,  Dr.  Holland  delivered 
the  poem  in  which  was  set  forth  with  graphic  power  the 
virtues  gnd  patriotism  ot  this  noted  family,  whose  names  are 
interspersed  among  the  teeming  millions  of  the  country's 
vast  domain. 

No  doubt  a  deep  interest  was  felt  in  the  political  history 
of  the  times.  At  the  time  my  grandfather  came  here  the 
French  war  was  in  progress,  and  one  of  his  deacons  was  at 


374  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

the  capture  of  L,ouisburg.  The  Indian  wars  were  mostly 
over,  and  the  purchase  of  the  lands  of  the  Indians  had  been 
peacefully  accomplished.  In  the  Revolutionary  War  doubt- 
less his  church  and  congregation  took  an  active  part,  as  the 
Congregationalists  of  New  England  were  active  in  securing 
that  liberty  of  conscience  and  freedom  from  taxation  without 
representation,  which  was  the  basis  of  political  action  in  New 
England.  The  adherents  of  Cromwell  who  gave  the  best 
government  England  had  ever  had  up  to  that  time,  had 
flocked  to  New  England  on  the  Restoration,  and  that 
influence  made  the  establishment  of  a  free  and  tolerant 
government  in  the  colonies  possible. 

When  Charles  II.  sent  his  emissaries  to  capture  the  fugitive 
judges  who  had  condemned  his  father,  (Charles  I)  to  the 
block,  the  three  fugitives,  Goff,  Whalley  and  Dixon,  found 
protection  in  the  colonies,  and  though  relentlessly  pursued, 
finally  died  a  natural  death,  two  at  New  Haven  and  one  at 
Boston.  Ezra  Stiles,  classmate  and  chum  of  John  Mc- 
Kinstry,  afterward  President  of  Yale  College,  wrote  the 
history  of  these  fugitive  judges  who  came  to  the  colonies, 
and  doubtless  during  their  college  days  they  often-  discussed 
these  matters  in  their  room,  and  considered  their  bearing  on 
the  cause  of  freedom  of  conscience  in  those  early  days.  The 
New  England  clergymen  of  those  times  did  not  hesitate  to 
present  the  cause  of  the  oppressed  colonies  in  their  Sunday 
discourses.  The)^  were  the  leaders  of  public  opinion  in 
those  days. 

The  Shays  Rebellion  took  place  while  '  Mr.  McKinstry 
was  pastor  of  the  parish,  and  the  army  spent  two  days  on 
Chicopee  street  on  their  way  to  capture  the  U.  S.  Armory  at 
Springfield.  W.  McK. 


SCOTCH- 1  RISK    IMMIGRATION.  375 


SCOTCH-IRISH  IMMIGRATION. 


[The  following  history  of  this  important  class  of  immigrants 
to  the  Colonies,  was  written  by  Hon.  William  Willis,  of  Portland, 
Me.,  as  an  introduction  to  the  genealogy  of  the  McKinstry  family. 
He  was  a  descendant  of  Rodger  McKinstry,  of  Scotland,  who  came 
to  Ireland  in  1669,  and  President  of  the  Maine  Historical  Society.] 

The  McKinstrys  originated  in  Scotland.  The  first  of  the 
name  who  emigrated  to  Ireland  was  Rodger,  who  had  lived 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Edinburgh,  and  emigrated  thence  to 
the  north  of  Ireland  about  the  year  1669.  I  propose,  as  a 
preliminary  to  the  history  of  this  family,  to  give  a  brief 
account  of  the  Scotch  emigration  to  Ireland,  and  from  that 
country  to  America  previous  to  our  Revolution. 

During  the  Irish  rebellions  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  the 
Province  of  Ulster,  embracing  the  northern  counties  of 
Ireland,  was  greatly  depopulated,  and  it  became  a  favorite 
project  with  her  successor,  James  I.,  to  repeople  those 
counties  with  a  protestant  population,  the  better  to  preserve 
order,  and  introduce  a  higher  state  of  cultivation  in  that 
portion  of  his  dominions.  To  promote  this  object,  liberal 
offers  of  land  were  made,  and  other  inducements  held  out  in 
England  and  Scotland,  for  persons  to  occupy  this  wide  and 
vacant  territory.  The  project  was  eagerly  embraced; 
companies  and  colonies  were  formed  and  individuals  without 
organization  were  tempted  to  partake  of  the  advantageous 
offers  of  government.  A  London  company,  among  the  first 
to  enter  upon  this  new  acquisition,  established  itself  at 
Derry,  and  gave  such  a  character  to  the  place  as  to  cause  it 
to  be  afterwards  and  forever  known  as  the  renowned  city  of 
London  deny. 

The  first  emigration  from  Scotland  was  chiefly  from  the 
Highlands,  where  agricultural  resources  were  scanty  and 
often  wholly  cut  off,  and  where  the  fruits  of  labor  were 
gathered  from  a  stern  soil.  Sir  Hugh  Montgomery,  the 
sixth  Laird  of  Braidstone,  a  friend  and  follower  of  King 
James,  was  among  the  earliest  to  obtain  possession  of 
forfeited  land  in  the  county  of  Down,  and  laid  his  rough 
hand  upon  many  broad  acres.  The  coast  of  Scotland  is 
within  twenty  miles  of  the  county  of  Antrim  in  Ireland,  and 
across  this  frith  or  strait  flowed  from  the  northeast  a  popu- 
lation distinguished  for  thrift,  industry  and  endurance. 


376  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

which  has  given  a  peculiar  and  elevated  character  to  that 
portion  of  the  emerald  island.  It  is  said  that  the  clan  Mc- 
Donald contributed  largely  to  this  emigration,  and  was 
among  the  first  of  the  Scottish  nation  to  plant  upon  its 
shores.  The)'  scattered  chiefly  in  the  counties  of  Down, 
Londonderry  and  Antrim,  and  greatly  assisted  to  build  up 
Newry,  Bangor,  Derry  and  Belfast,  the  principal  cities  of 
those  counties. 

This  was  the  first  protestant  population  that  was  intro- 
duced into  Ireland,  the  Presbyterians  of  Scotland  furnishing 
the  largest  element;  and  they  have  maintained  their 
ascendancy  to  the  present  day,  against  the  persevering 
efforts  of  the  Episcopalians  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  the 
Romanists,  bigoted  and  numerous,  by  whom  they  were 
surrounded,  on  the  other.  The  first  Presbyterian  church 
established  in  Ireland  was  in  Bally  carry,  in  the  county  of 
Antrim,  in  1613. 

The  clan  Alpine,  otherwise  called  the  McGregors,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  lyth  century,  had  made  themselves  very 
obnoxious  to  government  and  the  neighboring  clans  by  a 
wild  and  reckless  course  of  life.  Argyle,  the  chief  of  the 
Campbells,  their  inveterate  enemy,  who  was  high  in  court 
favor,  procured  a  decree  of  extermination  against  them, 
extending  even  to  the  obliteration  of  their  name  and  place 
of  residence.  Heavs^  penalties  were  proclaimed  against  all 
\vho  bore  the  badge  of  the  clan.  To  avoid  this  withering 
persecution,  many  sought  refuge  in  the  neighboring  islands; 
many  changed  their  names  and  fled  to  remote  parts  of  their 
own  country  or  to  other  countries.  Descendants  from  this 
clan  are  now  found  in  the  United  States  and  elsewhere, 
under  the  names  of  Grier,  Greer,  Gregor,  Gregory,  &c. ,  the 
Mac  being  dropped.  Thus  we  shall  probably  find  that  a 
distinguished  Judge  of  the  Supreme"  Court  of  the  U.  States, 
residing  in  Pennsylvania,  Judge  Grier,  derives  his  origin 
from  the  same  wild  tribe,  which,  under  the  guidance  of 
Robroy  McGregor,  was  the  terror  of  the  high  and  low  lands 
of  his  native  soil.  Nor  was  the  change  of  name  confined  to 
that  clan;  for  we  are  assured  that  the  Mackinnons,  from  the 
isleofSkye,  are  now  McKenna,  McKean,  McCannon;  that 
McNish  has  become  McNiece;  Meness,  Munniss,  and  Moniss; 
and  Graham  is  Graeme,  Grimes,  Groom,  &c. 

Although  the  rebellions  of  1715  and  1745,  against  the 
House  of  Hanover,  made  large  additions  to  the  Scotch 
population  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  yet  by  far  the  largest 
accessions  to  this  colonization  were  occasioned  by  religious 
persecutions  in  the  time  of  the  latter  Stuarts.  That  fated 


SCOTCH- 1  RISK    IMMIGRATION.  377 

race,  blind  to  the  dictates  of  justice  and  humanity,  and 
devoted  with  sullen  bigotry  to  their  peculiar  notions  in 
religion  and  politics,  pursued  a  system  of  measures  best 
calculated  to  wean  from  their  support  subjects  the  most 
devoted  to  their  cause.  The  Scotti  h  race  was  bound  to  the 
Stuarts  by  a  national  prejudice  and  a  sincere  affection.  But 
they  were  imbued  with  a  religious  enthusiasm,  inspired  by 
Knox  their  great  apostle,  which  ruled  their  consciences,  and 
rendered  the  sanctions  of  a  higher  law  superior  to  their 
patriotism,  or  their  attachment  to  their  native  sovereigns. 
Rather,  they  believed  that  true  patriotism  consisted  in 
maintaining  the  religion  transmitted  by  their 'fathers. 

When,  therefore,  the  Charleses  and  James  II.  endeavored 
to  introduce  prelacy  among  them,  and  to  force  it  upon  their 
consciences  by  arbitrary  laws  and  the  iron  hoofs  of  the 
dragoons  of  Claverhouse,  very  many  of  these  hardy,  per- 
sistent and  enduring  Presbyterians,  having  suffered  to  the 
bitter  end  of  cruelty  and  oppression,  abandoned  the  land  of 
their  birth,  the  home  of  their  fondest  affections,  and  sought 
an  as)-lum  among  their  countrymen  in  the  secure  retreats  of 
"Ulster,  or  fled  across  the  ocean.  They  carried  their  house- 
hold gods  with  them;  and  their  religious  peculiarities 
became  more  dear  in  their  land  of  exile,  for  the  dangers  and 
sorrows  through  which  they  had  borne  them. 

Presbyterianism  was  transported  from  Geneva  to  Scotland 
by  John  Knox,  who  composed  the  first  Book  of  Discipline, 
containing  the  substance  of  his  intended  policy,  in  1561. 
In  1566,  a  general  assembly  approved  the  Discipline;  and 
all  church  affairs  after  that  time  were  managed  by  Presby- 
teries and  General  Assemblies.  They  did  not  at  first 
formally  deprive  the  bishops,  who  had  ecclesiastical  juris- 
diction, of  their  power,  but  they  went  on  gradually  and 
steadily  doing  it,  as  they  acquired  confidence  and  strength. 
In  1574,  they  voted  bishops  to  be  only  pastors  of  one  parish; 
in  1577,  they  decreed  that  bishops  should  be  called  by  their 
own  names  without  title;  and  the  next  year  they  declared 
the  name  of  bishop  to  be  a  nuisance.  In  1580,  they  pro- 
nounced with  one  voice,  in  the  General  Assembly,  that 
diocesan  episcopacy  was  unscriptural  and  unlawful.  The 
same  year,  King  James  and  his  family,  with  the  whole 
Scotch  nation,  subscribed  a  confession  of  faith,  embracing 
the  "solemn  league  and  covenant,"  obliging  them  to 
maintain  the  protestant  doctrine  and  presbyterian  govern- 
ment. Thus  in  the  space  of  twenty  years,  grew  up  this 
formal,  extensive  and  powerful  institution,  twining  itself 
over  the  Scottish  mind  with  stern  and  inflexible  bands. 


378  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

which   death    only    could   sunder;  and    for   which,   home, 
country,  life — all  things  beside — were  freely  given  up. 

James  had  hardly  become  secure  and  easy  on  his  English 
throne  when  he  began  his  attack  upon  the  religious  system 
of  his  early  life,  and  of  his  native  country,  and  his  successors 
followed  it  up  with  a  pertinacity  worthy  of  a  better  cause. 
The  attempts  to  establish  the  church  of  England  over  Scot- 
land, and  destroy  the  religious  system  so  universally 
established  and  so  dearly  cherished  by  that  devoted  people, 
was  pursued  by  the  Charleses  and  James  the  2d,  by  persecu- 
tions as  mean,  as  cruel,  and  savage,  as  any  which  have  dis- 
graced the  annals  of  religious  bigotry  and  crime.  And  they 
did  not  cease  until  they  had  greatly  depopulated  Scotland, 
and  were  stripped  of  their  power  by  the  happy  revolution 
under  William  and  Mary,  which  restored  repose  to  a 
distracted  and  long  suffering  people. 

Scotland,  a  country  no  larger  than  Maine,  with  a  popula- 
tion at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century  of  a  million,  and 
in  1800  not  so  much  as  the  present  population  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  Maine;*  with  agricultural  and  other  resources 
by  no  means  equal  to  ours  — of  which  a  writer  in  a  recent 
number  of  the  Edinburgh  Review,  on  the  Highlands,  says, 
"at  the  end  of  the  i yth  century  the  chief  social  feature  of 
the  Highlands  was  famine,  and  another  was  emigration." 
Yet  this  country  has  contributed  largeby,  by  emigration,  to 
furnish  numerous  and  prominent  settlers  for  many  other 
lands;  to  the  nation  with  which  she  is  connected,  profound 
statesmen,  brilliant  writers,  and  men  the  most  renowned  in 
every  department  of  scientific  and  philosophical  research. 

This  is  the  race,  composed  of  various  tribes  flowing  from 
different  parts  of  Scotland,  which  furnished  the  materials  of 
the  Scotch-Irish  immigration  to  this  country.  By  their 
industry,  frugality  and  skill,  they  had  made  the  deserted 
region  into  which  they  had  moved,  a  compartaively  rich 
and  flourishing  country.  They  had  improved  agriculture 
and  introduced  manufactures,  and  by  the  excellence  and 
high  reputation  of  their  productions  had  attracted  trade  and 
commerce  to  their  markets,  so  as  to  excite  the  jealousy  of 
government  in  the  reigns  of  Anne  and  the  first  George, 
notwithstanding  that  by  their  efforts  and  example  the 
prosperity  of  the  whole  island  had  been  promoted.  The 
patronizing  government  began  to  recognize  them,  in  the 
shape  of  taxes  and  embarrassing  regulations  upon  their 
industry  and  trade.  The  same  jealousy  controlled  that 

*The  area  of  Scotland  is  3 1,324  square  miles,  that  of  Maine  is 
31,766.  The  population  of  Scotland  in  1851  was '2,889,742;  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  Maine  in  1860,  1,859,501. 


SCOTCH-IRISH    IMMIGRATION.  379 

government  afterwards,  in  regard  to  the  American  Colonies, 
by  which  the  commerce  and  enterprise  of  their  subjects  on 
this  side  of  the  ocean,  were,  in  like  manner,  hampered  and 
restricted,  so  that  they  were  hardly  permitted  to  manufacture 
articles  of  the  most  common  necessity,  but  were  driven  to 
import  them  from  the  mother  country,  as  glass,  nails,  hats, 
cloths,  &c. 

These  restrictions  occasioned  general  distress,  not  only  in 
the  north  of  Ireland,  but  throughout  the  whole  island. 
To  this,  Douglass  says,  "was  added  an  extravagant 
advance  in  rents  by  landlords,  whose  long  leases  were  now 
expired. ' '  The  energetic  and  self-willed  population  of  the 
north  of  Ireland,  animated  by  the  same  spirit  which  subse- 
quently moved  the  American  mind,  determined  no  longer  to 
endure  these  oppressive  measures;  and  they  sought  by 
another  change  to  find  a  freer  verge  for  the  exercise  of  their 
industry  and  skill,  and  for  the  enjoyment  of  their  religion. 

One  of  their  spiritual  leaders,  the  Rev.  David  McGregor, 
in  a  sermon  which  he  preached  on  the  eve  of  the  departure 
from  Ireland,  assigned  the  following  reasons  for  their 
removal  to  America:  i,  to  avoid  oppressive  and  cruel 
bondage;  2,  to  shun  persecution;  3,  to  withdraw  from  the 
communion  of  idolaters;  4,  to  have  an  opportunity  of 
worshipping  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  conscience  and 
his  inspired  word.  He  looked  at  it  chiefly  from  a  religious 
point  of  view;  others  from  a  material  and  commercial  stand- 
point. It  was  undoubtedl)-  suggested  and  promoted  by  a 
variety  of  motives  gradually  operating  upon  the  mass  of  the 
population,  which  brought  them  to  the  determination,  solemn 
and  painful,  to  sunder  the  ties  which  had  bound  them  firmly 
to  their  adopted  country,  and  impelled  them  to  seek  new 
and  doubtful  homes  in  a  wild,  unexplored,  and  far-distant 
land. 

The  first  immigration  of  these  people  to  this  country  was 
to  the  Middle  and  Southern  Colonies.  As  early  as  1684  a 
settlement  was  formed  in  New  Jersey,  and  in  1690  small 
groups  were  found  in  the  Carolinas,  Maryland  and  Pennsyl- 
vania. It  seems  to  be  well  established  that  the  first  Presby- 
terian church  in  the  United  States  was  formed  by  a  company 
of  Scotch  immigrants  in  Upper  Marlborough,  Maryland, 
about  the  year  1690.  Another  about  the  same  time  at 
Snowhill  in  the  same  State.  In  1692,  two  churches  of  this 
denomination  were  established  in  Freehold  and  Woodbridge, 
in  New  Jersey,  one  composed  of  Scotch,  the  other  of  Scotch 
and  New  England  immigrants.  But  it  was  not  until  the 
reigns  of  Anne  and  George  I.  that  large  numbers,  driven  by 


3#a  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

oppressive  measures  of  government  and  disastrous  seasons;, 
were  induced  to  seek,  even  in  the  wilderness,  a  better  home 
than  their  old  settled  region  could  give  them.  Gordon  says, 
"Scarcity  of  corn,  generally  prevalent  from  the  discourage- 
ment of  industry,  amounted  in  1728  and  the  following  year 
almost  to  a  famine,  especially  in  Ulster.  Emigrations  to- 
America,  which  have  since  increased,  drew  about  3000' 
people  annually  from  Ulster  alone."  Dr.  Boulter,  after- 
wards Archbishop  of  Armagh,  who  labored  strenuously  in 
1728  to  divert  the  horrors  of  famine  in  Ireland,  wrote  to  the 
English  ministry,  March  7,  1728,  that  there  were  seven 
ships  then  lying  at  Belfast  that  "are  carrying  off  about  1000 
passengers;  most  of  them  carj  neither  get  victuals  nor  work 
at  home."  He  also  says,  "3100  men,  women  and  children 
went  from  Ireland  to  America  in  1727,  and  4,200  in  three 
years,  all  protestants. "  The  principal  seats  of  these 
emigrations  were  Pennsylvania  and  the  Middle  States.  New 
England  was  found  not  so  favorable  to  their  farming  and 
other  interests.  Douglass,  who  wrote  at  Boston  in  1750, 
says,  "at  first  they  chose  New  England,,  but  being  brought 
up  to  husbandry,  &c.,  New  England  did  not  answer  so 
well  as  the  Colonies  southward;  at  present  they  generally 
resort  to  Pennsylvania."  By  Proud' s  history  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, we  find  that  in  1729  near  6000  arrived  in  that  Colony; 
and  before  the  middle  of  the  century  nearly  12,000  arrived 
annually  for  several  years.  These  were  protestants  and 
generally  Presbyterians;  few  or  no  Catholics  came,  until 
some  time  after  the  Revolution. 

In  the  summer  of  1718,  the  first  organized  company  of 
this  class  of  immigrants,  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge, 
left  the  shores  of  Ireland  in  five  vessels,  containing  120 
families,  for  the  new  world,  and  arrived  safely  in  Boston, 
August  4,  1718.  Here  all  was  new,  the  wilderness  and  the 
world  before  them.  Imagine  this  little  colony,  strangers  in 
a  strange  land,  seeking  new  homes  and  not  knowing  whither 
to  turn.  There  they  lie  at  the  little  wharf  at  the  foot  of  State 
street  in  the  town  of  Boston,  which  then  contained  about 
12,000  inhabitants,  taking  counsel  where  to  go,  and  how 
to  dispose  of  themselves  and  their  little  ones,  to  begin  the 
world  anew.  With  their  wonted  energy,  they  were  soon 
astir.  One  brigantine,  with  a  company  of  twenty  families, 
sought  their  fortunes  at  the  eastward,  among  whom  were 
Armstrong,  Means,  McKean,  Gregg; — they  spent  a  hard 
and  long  winter  in  Portland  harbor,  and  then  fled  westward, 
most  of  them,  to  join  their  companions  in  founding  their 
new  Londonderry.  Another  portion  went  to  Andover  and 


SCOTCH-IRISH    IMMIGRATION.  381 

its  neighborhood,  led  on  by  their  pastor,  McGregor;  another 
to  Pelham,  Mass.,  under  the  lead  of  the  Rev.  Ralph 
Abercrombie;  another  remained  in  Boston,  under  their 
pastor,  the  Rev.  John  Moorhead;  and  still  another  sought 
refuge  in  Worcester  and  vicinity-.  Wherever  they  went, 
this  devoted  people  first  of  all  planted  the  Presbyterian 
church,  adopting  the  discipline  and  usages  of  the  church  of 
Scotland.  Mr.  McGregor  and  his  flock  finally  established 
themselves  at  Nutfield,  N.  H.,  and  built  up  a  town'  which 
they  called,  from  their  venerated  city  in  Ireland,  London- 
derry1. Here  they  founded  a  colony,  which  like  a  fruitful 
mother,  has  been  sending  forth  from  its  prolific  bosom  men 
and  women,  of  their  h  >rdy  and  enlightened  stock,  to  instruct 
and  adorn  society.  And  here  were  gathered  the  McGregors, 
McClintocks,  Starks,  Reid,  Bell,  Morrison,  Anderson,  Mc- 
Kean  and  others,  who  have  given  vigor  to  our  varied  insti- 
tutions. 

The  society  in  Boston  established  the  Presbyterian  church, 
which  continued  for  more  than  half  a  century  to  worship  in 
their  meeting-house  on  the  corner  of  Long  Lane,  now 
Federal  street,  and  Bury  street,  where  Dr.  Gannett' s  church 
stood  until  1759,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  John  Moor- 
head,  familiarly  called  Jonny  Moorhead,  whose  ardent  and 
impulsive  temper  often  led  him  into  embarrassments,  but 
who  faithfully  ministered  to  his  people  until  his  death  in 
1773.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Annan,  a 
Scotch  presbyter,  who  occupied  the  pulpit  until  1786,  when 
the  people  cast  off  Presbyterian  ism,  assumed  the  Congrega- 
tional form  of  government,  and,  in  1787,  settled  the  excellent 
and  learned  Dr.  Jeremy  Belknap.  In  April,  1745,  Messrs. 
Moorhead,  McGregor,  Abercrombie,  with  James  McKean 
and  others,  met  at  Londonderry  and  established  the  first 
Presbytery  in  New  England,  consisting  of  twelve  churches, 
called  the  Presbytery  of  Boston. 

This  company  introduced  into  Boston  the  cultivation  of 
the  potato,  which  had  not  before  been  known  in  the  country, 
and  the  flax  spinning  wheel,  the  familiar  domestic  instru- 
ment of  their  native  households.  The  latter  had  quite  a  run 
in  Boston;  schools  were  established  to  teach  the  art  of 
spinning,  and  ladies  of  the  first  quality  were  found  among 
the  votaries  of  this  useful  art. 

The  party  which  went  to  Worcester  fared  worse  than  any 
other;  they  encountered  a  severe  persecution,  and  were  not 
permitted  to  erect  a  house  of  worship  of  their  peculiar  order. 
In  one  attempt  of  the  kind,  the  structure  was  entirely  de- 
molished by  a  mob.  A  great  prejudice  was  enlisted  against 


382  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

them,  both  from  their  religion  and  their  country;  they  were 
called  Irish,  a  term  they  greatly  resented.  Mr.  McGregor 
wrote,  "We  are  surprised  to  hear  ourselves  termed  Irish 
people."  The  Worcester  immigrants  struggled  awhile 
against  a  bitter  opposition,  and  finding  repose  there  hope- 
less, they  abandoned  the  place,  same  f _>r  Pelham,  others  for 
their  head-quarters  in  Londonderry,  and  some  to  plant 
themselves  at  Unadilla,  on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna, 
in  New  York.  In  the  Worcester  company  were  the  names 
of  Clark,  McKinstry,  Gray,  Ferguson,  Crawford,  Graham, 
Barbour,  Blair,  and  Thornton;  Mathew  Thorton,  then  a. 
child,  became  the  distinguished  patriot  and  statesman  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  a  signer  of  the  declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence. 

In  1719  and  1720,  five  ships,  under  the  conduct  of  Capt. 
Robert  Temple,  who  had  previously  explored  the  country, 
landed  several  hundred  families  from  Ireland  on  the  shores 
of  Kennebec  ri^er  and  Merry  Meeting  Bay.  Temple  was  of 
a  distinguished  family  in  Ireland,  and  the  ancestor  of  the 
numerous  and  respectable  family  of  the  late  L,t.  Governor 
Thomas  L,.  Winthrop,  of  Boston,  who  married  his  grand- 
daughter Elizabeth  Bowdoin. 

Bummer's  Indian  war  broke  up  this  colony,  and  the 
larger  part  of  them  went  to  Pennsylvania:  After  the  war 
was  ended,  other  companies  of  this  race  occupied  various 
points  in  Maine,  as  Topsham,  Brunswick,  Boothbay,  Pema- 
quid,  and  the  Waldo  patent,  which  region  contained  a  larger 
number  of  this  description  of  immigrants  than  any  part  of 
New  England.  In  1771,  a  Presbytery  was  established  at 
Boothbay  called  the  Presbytery  of  the  Eastward,  consisting 
of  three  ministers  and  four  Ruling  Elders,  representing  four 
churches.  It  never  consisted  of  more  than  eight  ministers, 
and  the  last  record  of  it  now  known  to  exist,,  was  an  adjourn- 
ment to  meet  at  New  Boston,  in  New  Hampshire,  on  the 
first  Wednesday,  in  October,  1792.  They  were  entirely 
under  the  religious  government  of  Presbyters  and  Assemblies, 
until  the  eve  of  the  Revolution,  when  large  accessions  of 
Congregationalists  or  Independents  mingling  among  them, 
a  struggle  took  place  between  the  two  ciders  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  church.  This  resulted  in  the  overthrow  of 
Presbyterianism  and  the  establishment  of  Congregationalism 
over  the  churches  of  the  State.  There  is  not  now  a  Presby- 
terian church  in  Maine.  Once  it  boasted  of  Murray,  famed 
for  his  eloqnence — of  Rutherford,  Blair,  Boyd,  Dunlap,  Mc- 
Lean, Urquahart,  Whittaker,  Strickland — none  remain,  and 
hardly  a  recoid  of  them.  The  same  struggle  took  place  in 


SCOTCH-IRISH    IMMIGRATION.  383 

Massachusetts,  until  Synod,  Presbytery  and  Church  dis- 
appeared, and  now  only  the  feeble  Presbytery  of  London- 
derry remains  in  New  England  to  record  and  perpetuate  the 
religious  characteristics  of  that  great  race  which  sought 
refuge  on  these  shores,  and  has  done  so  much  to  advance 
the  honor  and  prosperity  of  the  countrj'.  Their  power  as  a 
sect  is  most  prevalent  in  the  Middle  and  Western  States. 

In  1865  the  Presbyter}- of  Londonderry  consisted  of  eleven 
churches,  of  which  three  were  in  Massachusetts,  and  twenty- 
eight  ministers,  but  only  nine  of  the  ministers  had  a  pastoral 
charge.  Seven  of  these  were  pastors  of  Congregational 
churches,  and  six  were  supposed  to  be  Congregational 
ministers,  of  whom  one  was  in  Massachusetts,  three  in  N. 
H.  and  two  in  Maine. 

Independency  or  Congregationalism  was  not  introduced 
into  England  until  1616.  But  Puritanism,  which  embraces 
both  orders  of  dissenters,  had  its  origin  in  Elizabeth's  time, 
in  her  attempts  to  cause  subscriptions  to  be  made  to  the 
liturgy,  ceremonies,  and  discipline  of  the  Church,  in  1564. 
Those  who  refused  subscription  and  preferred  a  simple 
worship,  were  called  Puritans  by  way  of  reproach.  When 
the  doctrines  of  Arminius  began  to  prevail  in  the  English 
church,  the  Puritans  adhered  to  the  system  of  Calvin,  and 
were  defined  to  be  men  of  severe  morals,  Calvinists  in 
doctrine,  and  non-conformists  to  the  ceremonies  and 
discipline  of  the  Church.  The  first  Presbyterian  church 
was  established  in  England,  near  London,  in  1577,  by  a  few 
scattered  brethren;  and  both  these  branches  of  dissenters. 
Independents  and  Presbyterians,  made  at  first  but  slow 
progress;  and  although  agreeing  in  doctrine,  they  differed 
from  each  other  on  the  form  of  government  as  widely  as 
they  both  did  from  Episcopacy.  * 

The  Independents  or  Congregational  brethren  were  small 
in  number  in  the  Westminster  Assembly,  although  they 
increased  prodigiously  afterwards  under  Cromwell.  They 
made  a  bold  stand  against  the  proceedings  of  the  high 
Presbyterians.  They  maintained  "that  every  particular 
congregation  of  Christians' '  has  an  entire  and  complete 
power  of  jurisdiction  over  its  members,  to  be  exercised  by 
the  elders  thereof  within  itself."  They  add,  "this  they  are 
sure  must  have  been  the  form  of  government  in  the  primitive 
church." — A'eal,  3,  157. 

The  system  of  the  Independents  was  attacked  b)r  the 
rigid  Presbyterians  with  great  severity,  "as  tending  to 
break  the  uniformity  of  the  church,  under  pretence  of  liberty 
of  conscience."  But  one  of  their  number,  Mr.  Herle,  the 


384  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

prolocutor  of  the  Assembly,  with  great  candor  and  good 
sense,  remarked,  "The  difference  between  us  and  our 
brethren  who  are  for  Independency,  is  nothing  so  great  as 
some  conceive;  at  most,  it  does  but  ruffle  the  fringe,  not 
any  way  rend  the  garment  of  Christ." 

Yet  the  quarrel  continued,  and  has  continued  to  the 
present  day;  the  sound  of  the  controversy,  even  in  this 
country,  is  now  ringing  in  our  ears;  in  the  last  century  it 
was  discordant  and  harsh  throughout  our  churches  in  the 
ambitious  struggle  for  power.  The  controversy  then  related 
to  church  government,  for  in  doctrine  there  was  a  substantial 
agreement.  The  Savoy  confession  of  1658  proceeds  upon 
the  plan  of  the  Westminster  Assembly;  the  preface  declares, 
"that  they  fully  consent  to  the  Westminster  confession,  for 
the  substance  of  it. ' '  The  disagreement  was  not  in  matters 
of  faith,  but  only  in  matters  of  form. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  trace  further  the  migrations  of 
these  people  upon  this  continent.  Having  accompanied  the 
earliest  colony  to  Massachusetts,  which  contained  the  first 
,of  the  McKinstry  family  who  came  to  America,  I  leave  the 
nation  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  the  individual. 

I.  JOHN  McKiNSTRY,  the  first  of  the  name  who  came  to 
this  country,  was  born  in  Erode  Parish,  in  the  county  of 
Antrim,  Ireland,  in  1677.  He  was  of  Scotch  descent,  and 
was  the  son  of  Rodger  McKinstry  and  Mary  Wilson,  who 
lived  in  the  neighborhood  of  Edinburgh,  until  compelled  by 
the  persecutions  under  Charles  II.,  about  1669,  to  seek 
security  and  repose  with  their  Presbyterian  brethren  in  the 
province  of  Ulster,  and  the  county  of  Antrim.  The  analysis 
of  the  name  is  Mac,  of  or  son  of,  Kin,  head  or  chief  man 
st?<z,  of  the  strseth  or  valley.  This  indicates  a  common 
origin  with  the  old  Scottish  name,  .MacKenzie.  The  Mac- 
Kinstry  name  is  not  uncommon  at  the  .present  time,  in 
Ireland,  and  also  in  Scotland.  We  find  in  Armagh,  a 
solicitor  by  the  name  of  John,  and  in  the  county  of  Long- 
ford, there  are  several  bearing  the  name  of  John,  Alexander 
and  Robert,  familiar  also  in  the  families  in  this  country. 
The  grand-father  of  John  of  Armagh,  migrated  from 
Antrim. 

John,  the  son  of  Rodger  above  named,  was  educated  at  the 
University  of  Edinburg,  from  which  he  graduated  Master  of 
Arts  in  1712.  It  may  gratify  the  curious  to  see  the  Diploma 
which  that  University  then  granted  to  its  graduates,  which 
we  annex  in  the  original  language: — 

"Ne  quern  forte  habeat  cujus  scire   interest,  Nos  Universitatis — 
Jacob:  Regis  Edinensis  Professores  Testamur  hunc  Juvenem  Johan- 


GENEALOGY.  385 

nem  McRinstrieHibernum,  Postquam  Philosophise  &  Humanioribus 
Literis  ea  Morum  Integritate  et  Modestia(quse  Ingenuum  decebat 
Adolescentem)  apud.  Nos  vacasset,  eaque  praestitisset,  omnia  qua? 
Discipline  Ratio  et  Academiae  consuetude  praescripserat,  Tandem 
consensu  Senatus  Academici  Magistrum  in  Artibus  Liberalibus 
Riti  Renunciatum,  Cunctaque  consecutum  Privelegia  quae  Bonarum 
Artium  Magistris  uspiam  concedisolent:  Cujus  Rei  quo  major  esset 
fides,  Sigillum  Inclyti  Senatores  Edimensis  Athensei  Curatores  et 
Patroni  Nos  Chirographa  Apposuimus  IV,  Kal  Martii  MDCCXII. 
Datum  Edinburgh 

JOH.  GOODALL,  L.  S.  P. 

ROBERTUS   HENDERSON  B  &  Acad.  ab  Archivi. 

GULIEL.  HAMILTON,    N.  S.  P. 

GULIELMUS  LAW,  P.  P, 

Gu  LI  ELM  us  SCOTT,  P.  P, 

ROBERTUS  STOUAOL,        P.  P. 

COL;  DRUMOND,  P.  P. 

JA.  GREGORY,  Math.  P." 

Translation. — "Be  it  known  to  all  whom  it  may  concern,  thai 
we,  the  Professors  of  the  University  of  Edinboro'  of  King  James, 
testify,  that  this  youth,  John  McKinstry  of  Ireland,  after  having 
completed  the  study  of  philosophy  and  human  literature  with  the 
integrity  and  modesty  of  manners  which  is  becoming  an  ingenuous 
youth,  has  graduated  with  us.and  is  entitled  to  ail  the  privileges  which 
the  course  of  discipline  and  the  custom  of  this  Academy  is  accustom- 
ed to  confer.  And  now,  with  the  consent  of  the  Faculty  and 
teachers  of  this  College,  he  is  declared  a  Master  in  the  liberal  Arts, 
and  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  which  are  wont  to  be  conceded  to 
the  Masters  of  the  Good  Arts.  Of  which  fact,  that  there  may  be 
greater  taith,  we,  the  distinguished  Governors,  Teachers  and 
Patrons  of  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  have  placed  our  signatures, 
this  4th  Calends  of  March,  1712." 

How  he  disposed  of  himself  for  the  next  six  years  we  have 
no  information;  he  certainly  qualified  himself  for  the 
ministry,  and  undoubtedly  received  Presbyterian  ordination. 
He  joined  the  company  of  emigrants  from  the  north  of 
Ireland  in  the  summer  of  1718,  and  arrived  in  Boston, 
August  4,  1718.  He  followed  the  fortunes  of  that  portion 
of  the  emigrants  which  went  to  Worcester  county.  He  had 
not  long  been  there  before  his  services  were  sought  by  the 
people  of  Sutton,  a  new  town  near  Worcester,  the  settlement 
of  which  had  just  commenced.  At  a  meeting  of  the  in- 
habitants, Nov.  25,  1719,  it  was  voted  that  Mr.  McKinstry 
should  preach  three  mouths,  and  have  fifteen  pounds  tor  the 
service.  In  the  following  March,  the  town  voted  to  settle 
Mr.  McKinstry  and  to  pay  him  £60  a  year  salary.  In 
pursuance  of  this  and  other  votes,  he  was  duly  settled 
according  to  Congregational  usage  on  the  Qth  of  November. 
1720,  neighboring  churches  being  present  and  assisting  in  the 
ordination  ;the  Rev.  Mr.  Swift  of  Framingham  gave  the  Charge 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thatcher  of  Milton,  the  Right  hand  of 
Fellowship.  The  people  were  generally  Congregation alists, 


386  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

while  the  pastor,  born  and  educated  in  rigid  Presbyterianism, 
could  not,  in  his  new  position,  lay  aside  his  attachments  to 
the  religious  usages  of  his  life.  Difficulties  therefore  arose 
soon  after  his  settlement,  on  these  opposite  views  of  church 
government,  which  produced  continued  uneasiness  in  the 
parish;  a  Council  was  called  in  October,  1726,  to  which 
twelve  respected  members  of  the  church  entered  their  dissent 
on  the  ground  that  nothing  was  charged  against  him.  There 
is  no  record  of  the  action  of  the  Council,  but  the  dissatis- 
faction continued  and  led  to  a  separation  in  September, 
1728.  During  his  ministry  at  Sutton  of  less  than  eight 
3rears,  forty-four  members  were  added  to  the  church.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Tracy,  in  a  historical  sermon  preached  to  the 
parishioners  in  1842,  says  of  Mr.  McKinstry,  that  "he  was  a 
man  of  considerable  brilliancy  and  popular  talent."  On 
leaving  Sutton  Mr.  McKinstry  concluded  to  join  his  brethren 
of  the  same  denomination  in  New  York.  On  his  way 
thither,  his  wife's  health  failing',  he  rested  at  East  Windsor 
in  Connecticut.  The  parish  in  the  eastern  precinct  of  the 
town,  afterwards  called  Ellington,  having  no  preacher,  he 
was  requested  to  supply  the  pulpit.  This  circumstance 
resulted  in  a  suspension  of  his  journey  southward,  and  a 
settlement  over  that  parish,  as  its  first  pastor,  in  1733.  He 
continued  in  this  situation  sixteen  years,  and  remained  in 
the  town  until  his  death;  which  took  place  on  Sunday, 
January  20,  1754,  at  the  age  of  77  years.  He  preached  on 
the  Sunday  previous  to  his  death.  Mr.  McKinstry  is  said 
to  have  been  a  gentleman  of  good  abilities,  of  popular 
talents,  and  unwavering  integrity,  a  quality  belonging  to 
the  family.  His  wife  died  Oct.  25,  1782,  aged  81.  Wm. 
McKinstry,  of  Middletown,  Con.,  the  only  surviving  grand- 
child of  the  first  John,  in  1859,  erected  a  handsome  granite 
monument  over  the  graves  of  his  grand-parents,  in  the 
ancient  cemetery  of  Ellington,  with  appropriate  inscriptions. 
Soon  after  his  settlement  in  Sutton,  he  married  Elizabeth 
Fairfield,  of  Wenham,  Mass.,  probably  a  daughter  of 
William  Fairfield,  who  represented  his  town  in  the  General 
Court  twenty-seven  years,  in  nine  of  which  he  was  Speaker 
of  the  House.  Mr.  Fairfield's  oldest  son  William,  died  in 
Boston  in  1770,  leaving  six  children,  the  second  of  whom, 
the  Rev.  Wm.  Fairfield,  born  in  Boston  in  1736,  was  settled 
in  the  ministry  at  Saco,  Maine,  in  1762.  He  was  grand- 
father of  the  late  Gov.  Fairfield,  of  Maine.  Mr.  McKinstry 
had  by  her,  seven  children,  viz:  John,  born  Dec.  31,  1723 
Mary,  b.  Jan.  i,  1726;  Alexander,  b.  May  16,  1729 
William,  b.  Oct.  8,  1732; 'Paul,  b.  Sept.  18,  1734;  Elizabeth 


GENEALOGY.  387 

b.    May  27,    1736;  Abigail,    b.  March  5,    1739.     The    first 
two  in  Sutton,  the  others  in  Ellington. 

Elizabeth  and  Abigail  died  unmarried,  the  latter  in 
Ellington,  May  18,  1814.  Elizabeth  was  killed  by  Bristol, 
a  negro  servant  of  her  brother  William,  June  4,  1763,  while 
she  was  visiting  him  in  Taunton.  The  negro  was  fond  of 
Elizabeth,  but  had  been  made  to  believe  that  he  could 
obtain  his  freedom  by  killing  some  one  of  the  family.  He 
therefore  took  an  opportunity,  when  his  victim's  back  was 
towards  him,  and  struck  her  a  fatal  blow  on  the  back  of 
her  head  with  a  flat-iron.  Much  excitement  was  produced 
in  that  quiet  village  and  throughout  the  count}1  by  this  sad 
event;  and  a  great  crowd  attended  upon  his  trial  and 
execution,  which  soon  after  followed.  The  other  five 
were  married  and  left  issue. 

II.  JOHN,  eldest  son  of  Rev.  John  of  Ellington,  was  born 
in  Sutton,  December  31,  1723;  he  graduated  at  Yale  College 
in  1746,  a  classmate  and  chum  ot  Ezra  Stiles,  afterwards 
the  distinguished  President  of  the  College.  Students  at  that 
time  were  placed  on  the  catalogue  according  to  the  rank  of 
their  parents;  McKinstry  was  placed  fourth  in  a  class  of 
twelve;  he  survived  all  his  classmates  by  fifteen  years,  and 
died  Nov.  9,  1813,  at  the  age  of  90.  He  was  ordained  the 
first  pastor  of  the  2nd  church  in  Springfield,  which  is  now 
Chicopee,  Mass.,  Sept.  27,  1752;  the  parish  was  incorporated 
June  10,  1751.  The  church  at  the  time  of  his  ordination 
consisted  of  43  members.  His  father,  then  seventy-five 
years  old,  attended  the  ordination,  as  did  also  the  following 
clergymen:  Messrs.  Stephen  Williams  of  Longmeadow, 
Samuel  Hopkins  of  West  Springfield,  Peter  Reynolds  of 
Enfield,  Robert  Breck  of  Springfield  and  Noah  Merrick  of 
Wilbraham.  His  salary  was  £80  settlement,  and  £45  a  year 
for  the  first  ten  years,  with  15  cords  of  fire- wood.  The 
salary  was  subsequently  raised  to  £62,  and  fire-wood,  and 
"a  load  of  pine  knots  yearly  to  study  by."  After  being 
relieved  from  preaching,  his  salary  was  reduced  to  £18  ami 
15  cords  of  fire-wood.  One  vote  of  the  parish  was,  "the 
worthy  Mr.  McKinstry  shall  always  be  provided  with  a 
sufficiency  of  fire- wood."  He  continued  the  active  pastor 
of  the  society  until  1789,  when  he  was  released  from  preach- 
ing, but  discharged  other  duties  of  the  pastorate  until  his 
death. 

Rev.    Dr.  Lathrop   of  West   Springfield,    in   the  sermon 
preached  at  his  funeral  thus  described  him: 

"Mr.  McKinstry    was  a  man    of  good    natural  talents,    a 


388  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

respectable  scholar  and  sound  divine.  His  preaching-, 
though  it  suffered  some  disadvantage  from  the  feebleness  of 
his  delivery,  was  edifying  to  his  stated  hearers.  He  was  a 
man  of  exemplary  piety,,  of  a  candid  spirit,  of  a  modest., 
humble  disposition  and  of  Christian  fortitude  and  hope  in 
view  of  the  approaching  dissolution." 

The  parsonage  house  built  in  the  early  part  of  his  ministry 
and  occupied  by  him,  was  standing  in  1858.  The  old 
edifice  in  which  he  preached  has  given  place  to  a  building; 
more  suited  to  modern  taste,  but  is  still  standing  and  used 
for  a  barn. 

In  1760  he  married  Eunice,  a  daughter  of  David  Smith,  of 
Suffield,  Conn.,  who  died  Sept.  4,  1820,  aged  86.  They 
had  seven  children,  of  whom  my  father,  Perseus,  was  the 
sixth. 

Perseus,  sixth  child  of  Rev.  John  of  Chicopee,  b.  1772,  d, 
in  Chicopee,  Aug.  23,  1829;  was  a  tanner,  first  in  Plainfield; 
then  a  farmer  in  Chicopee.  Oct.  24,  1803,  he  mar.  Grace, 
a  daughter  of  Daniel  Williams,  of  Norwich,  Mass.  She  was 
born  July  8,  1783,  and  died  Dec.  24,  1855;  they  had  eleven 
children,  viz  : 

Kliza,  b.  Sept.  25,  1804,  living  on  the  homestead,  unmar- 
ried. Died  1892. 

Emily,  b.  April  8,  1806,  mar.  Dec.  16,  1830,  Titus  Chapin,, 
a  farmer  in  Chicopee,  and  died  Oct.  14,  1842.  leaving  five 
children,  viz  :  Titus,  Roxana,  Emily,  L,ucy  and  Eleanora, 
who  was  born  in  1841,  and  died  in  .1844.  Her  husband  died 
in  1865.  The  son,  Titus,  b.  in  1831,  was  drowned  at 
Topeka  on  Kansas  river,  Aug  14,  1858.  Roxana,  while  a 
teacher  in  Georgia,  married  General  Wm.  Gerdine,  of 
Athens  in  that  State.  She  died  at  West  Point,  Miss.,  in 
1891,  and  left  two  children.  Emily  mar.  Wm.  D.  Chapin, 
of  Chicopee,  Dec.  8,  1859,  and  has  four  children.  L,ucy  died 
unmarried  in  1862,  in  Mississipi. 

Thedosia,  b.  Aug.  23,  1807,  mar.  Whitman  Chapin,  a 
farmer  in  Chicopee,  Dec.  20,  1829,  and  had  three  children, 
viz  :  Moses  Whitman,  Harriet  Eliza  and  Edward.  She  died 
in  Holyoke,  Dec.  i,  1893.  Her  husband  d.  June  14,  1845. 
Her  son  Moses  Whitman  mar.  Augusta  Chapin,  Oct.  26, 
1853,  and  died  Feb.  25,  1864,  leaving  four  children.  He 
was  a  promising  lawyer  in  Chicapee  and  had  been  elected  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Her 
son  Edward  is  the  sole  survivor  of  the  family.  He  is  a 
graduate  of  Amherst  College,  has  been  member  of  the 
Massachusetts  Legislature,  and  is  a  leading  lawyer  in  Hol- 
yoke, Mass. 


GENEALOGY.  389 

William,  b.  June  8,  1809;  d.  Feb.  24,  1845.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  Chicopee;  he  married  Mary  T.  Frink  and  had  two 
children,  viz  :  Laura  Jane,  who  married  John  White  of 
Forestville,  N.  Y.,  in  1856,  and  has  one  son  and  two 
daughters  (one  of  the  daughters,  Mabel,  is  in  the  architect 
department  of  the  U.  S.  Treasury  at  Washington);  and 
Arthur,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg  May 
5,  1862,  at  the  age  of  22.  He  was  a  young  man  of  fine 
abilities  and  great  promise.  He  was  a  nephew  of  Willard 
McKinstry,  proprietor  of  the  Fredonia  Censor,  and  was  a 
writer  for  that  paper  of  both  poetry  and  prose  which  were 
much  commended.  His  letters  from  the  arm}-  were  valuable 
contributions  to  the  literature  of  thewar.  He  joined  the 
army  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion,  although  in 
feeble  health,  just  rising  from  a  bed  of  sickness.  The  widow 
of  William  married  for  her  second  husband  Austin  Chapin. 

John  Alexander,  the  fifth  child  of  Perseus,  b.  April  19, 
1811;  he  graduated  at  Amherst  College  in  1838:  pursued 
theological  studies  at  the  East  Windsor  Seminar}-;  licensed 
to  preach  by  the  Tolland  Association  Xov.  10,  1840,  and 
settled  as  a  Congregational  minister,  first  in  Torrington, 
Conn.,  in  Oct.,  1842,  transferred  to  Harwinton  in  1857.  He 
closed  his  labors  at  that  place  in  Oct.,  1863.  In  August. 
1843,  he  married  Mary  E.  Morton  of  Whately,  Mass.,  and 
had  three  children,  John  Morton  b.  1844,  Wm.  Alexander 
b.  1849,  died  in  Cleveland,  O.,  1894,  an<^  Harriet  Elvira  b. 
Jan.  4,  1858,  now  a  teacher  of  classics  in  Lake  Erie  Semi- 
nary at  Painesville,  O.  Rev.  John  Alexander  McKinstry 
preached  over  twenty  years  in  Richfield,  Ohio,  and  died 
in  Painesville,  O.,  March  12,  1889. 

Willard,  b.  May  9,  1813,  died  May  27,  1814. 

Willard,  b.  May  9,  1815;  publisher  of  Fredonia  Censor. 
In  1843  he  inar.  Maria  A.  Durlin,  and  has  had  four  children, 
\\7.  :  Louis,  Grace,  Willard  and  Anna.  Grace  died  in  1852; 
the  others  are  living. 

Mary,  b.  Xov.  2,  1817;  mar.  James  B.  Finch  June  20, 
1843,  of  Southampton,  Mass.,  and  has  had  six  children,  of 
whom  two  daughters  are  dead.  Died  1884. 

Alfred,  b.  May  17,  1821:  d.  1823. 

Alfred  Lyman,  b.  April  20,  1823,  died  July  21,  1881; 
mar.  Jane  Granger,  June  2,  1852,  and  had  two  sons.  Alfred 
and  Edgar,  and  one  daughter.  Mary  Eliza,  who  mar.  Hon. 
Willard  A.  Cowles  of  Torrington,  Conn. 

Archibald  Winthrop,  yougest  son  of  Perseus,  b.  in  Chicopee, 
March  19,  1828.  He  came  to  Fredonia  in  1844  and  entered 
the  Censor  office  as  apprentice.  Married  Sept.  3,  1857,  Ellen 
E.,  daughter  of  Nathan  B.  Putnam.  He  was  associated 


39°  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

with  his  brother  in  the  publication  of  the  Fredonia  Censor 
till  twenty-nine  years  ago,  when  he  moved  to  Faribault,  Minn., 
and  purchased  the  Republican  of  that  place,  which  he  still 
publishes.  He  has  two  children,  Grace  E.  and  L/ynn  H. 
both  living  in  Minnesota.  Correspondence  by  him  and  his  . 
daughter  wrill  be  found  in  this  book.  He  and  Willard  are 
all  that  survive  of  the  family  of  eleven  children.' 

The   following     is   taken  from  the  Chautauqua  County 
History,  just  published: 

Willard  McKinstry's  character  was  formed  in  that  in- 
dustry, frugality,  integrity,  patriotism  and  piety  for  which  New 
England  was  noted  75  years  ago.  There  was  much  work, 
little  play,  some  schooling,  and  the  small  farm  furnished. a 
frugal  support  for  the  large  family  until  he  was  14,  when 
his  father  died.  Then  Willard  worked  out  two  summers, 
attending  school  winters.  In  1832  he  became  an  apprentice 
in  the  office  of  the  Northampton,  (Mass.)  Courier.  He 
journeyed  to  Northampton,  14  miles,  on  foot,  carrying  all 
his  effects  in  a  handkerchief;  his  wages  was  $30  the  first 
year,  $35  the  second,  $40  the  third,  and  $50  the  fourth. 
That  knowledge  of  public  affairs  and  of  the  English 
language  which  made  him  such  a  clear  and  vigorous  writer 
was  chiefty  acquired  by  careful  study  and  extensive  reading 
during  his  apprenticeship,  and  service  as  a  journeyman 
printer  in  New  York,  Hartford,  Springfield  and  Mayville. 
In  Springfield  he  worked  three  years  for  G.  and  C.  Merriam, 
publishers  of  Webster's  dictionary,  and  in  Mayville  he 
worked  on  the  Sentinel  for  his  cousin  Beman  Brockway,  with 
whom  he  was  a  fellow  apprentice  at  Northampton.  In  the 
spring  of  1842  Mr.  McKinstry  purchased  the  Fredonia 
Censor,  which  he  has  since  published.  He  is  now  the  oldest 
editor  in  the  state.  He  married  in  1842^  Maria  A.  Durlin 
of  Fredonia,  a  person  well  adapted  for  a  helpmate  of  a 
pioneer  printer,  possessing  energy  of  character,  fine  literary 
taste,  extensive  reading  and  winning  sociality,  and  whose 
judgment  of  literary  merit  was  almost  unerring.  She  died 
in  April,  1882.  Of  their  four  children,  three  lived  to 
maturity:  Louis,  the  oldest,  now  a  member  of  the  state 
constitutional  convention,  has  been  associated  with  his  father 
in  business  since  1867;  Willard  D.,  now  a  proprietor  and 
editor-in-chief  of  the  Watettown  Times,  and  a  civil  service 
commissioner  of  the  state;  and  Anna,  with  whom  he  resides, 
the  wife  of  Prof.  M.  T.  Dana,  vice-principal  of  the  Fredonia 
State  Normal  School.  In  1887  Mr.  McKinstry  married 


GENEALOGY.  391 

Mrs.  Man-   A.  Baker,    of  Ackley,  Iowa.     She   died   in  less 
than  a  year.      She  was  highly  esteemed. 

Mr.  McKinstry  made  a  profession  of  his  Christian  faith 
when  14,  and  united  with  the  same  Congregational  church 
to  which  his  grandfather  had  preached  long  before  he  was 
born,  and  he  was  a  member  of  the  Northampton  church 
from  1832  until  1847,  when  he  united  with  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Fredonia,  of  which  he  is  an  honored  member. 
His  vocation  as  an  editor  and  his  intense  patriotism  made 
him  thoroughly  conversant  with  all  public  questions,  while 
his  sincerity  and  modesty  unfitted  him  for  a  professional 
politician  or  office-seeker.  He  was  a  Whig,  casting  his 
first  presidental  vote  for  Henry  Clay,  and  has  been  a  stead- 
fast Republican  since  the  organization  of  the  part}-.  He 
was  postmaster  at  Fredonia  for  eight  years,  first  appointed 
by  President  Lincoln  in  1863.  He  was  "anti-slavery"  from 
youth,  and  has  been  strongly  "Union"  throughout  his  life. 
In  1865  he  was  for  a  time  with  the  army  near  Petersburg  in 
the  service  of  the  Christian  Commission,  and  is  a  staunch 
friend  of  the  soldiers,  having  advocated  every  measure  for 
their  relief  or  benefit.  He  has  been  foremost  in  many  public 
improvements,  was  one  of  the  original  trustees  of  Forest 
Hill  cemetery,  of  which  he  has  been  president  the  past  nine 
years;  was  an  original  stockholder  in  the  Dunkirk  and  Fre- 
donia Railway  Co.,  of  which  he  has  been  president  for  14 
years;  was  one  of  the  first  movers  to  secure  the  location  of 
the  State  Normal  School  in  Fredonia,  and  was  a  member  of 
its  first  local  board  of  managers.  He  is  opposed  to  any  sort 
of  formalism,  and  has  never  departed  from  those  character- 
istics of  simplicity  and  sincerity  which  he  acquired  in  his 
early  Puritan  home.  He  has  prepared  public  addresses  and 
memorials  of  marked  vigor  and  literary  merit;  and  now, 
having  entered  his  8oth  year,  he  is  found  at  the  Gv/.v>; 
office  nearly  every  day,  and  writes  occasional  editorials  with 
clearness  and  force. 


392  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 


IN  MEMORY  OF  ARTHUR  MCKINSTRY. 


[Killed  at  Williamsburg,  Va.,  May  3,  1862.  He  was  the  son  of 
the  oldest  son  of  the  family  of  Perseus  McKinstry.  The  following 
is  from  the  Censor  of  May  14,  1862.] 

In  the  long,  sad  list  of  victims  of  the  sanguinary  battle  at 
Williamsburg,  given  in  the  Daily  Tribune  of  Monday, 
appears  the  name  of  ARTHUR  MCKINSTRY.  The  readers  of 
the  Censor  will  know  to  whom  the  announcement  refers. 
The  pen  which  has  so  often  enlivened  the  columns  of  this 
paper  with  clear  and  faithful  limnings  of  life  in  camp,  has 
dropped  from  the  clay-cold  fingers;  our  genial,  talented  and 
warm-hearted  correspondent,  '  'ARTHUR,  "  is  no  more.  We 
are  unnerved,  and  have  no  heart  to  write,  after  this  terrible 
announcement.  The  blow  will  fall  with  crushing  effect 
upon  a  devoted  mother  and  sister,  and  a  large  circle  of 
relatives.  Of  the  thousands  of  victims  who  have  offered  up 
their  lives  upon  the  altar  of  their  country,  Death  has  claimed 
no  spirit  more  noble,  more  truly  and  unselfishly  devoted  to 
the  great  cause  in  which  he  had  enlisted. 

When  the  call  was  made  for  volunteers  to  fill  the  ranks  of 
Co.  D.,  although  he  had  but  just  risen  from  a  long  and 
protracted  illness,  in  which  the  scale  had  nearly  balanced 
between  life  and  death,  and  vigorous  strength  had  not 
returned  to  his  frame,  he  hastened  to  enroll  his  name  among 
those  who  were  prompt  to  go  forth  and  peril  life  in  the 
sacred  cause.  From  that  time,  through  his  frequent  corres- 
pondence the  readers  of  fh&jCensor  have  formed  a  partial 
acquaintance,  and  learned  to  appreciate  his  manly  and 
sterling  qualities.  The  last  letter  received  from  him,  written 
for  the  public,  appears  in  another  column  of  our  paper. 

The  only  alleviation  which  his  surviving  friends  can  feel 
in  their  terrible  bereavement  is  the  knowledge  that  he  died 
as  he  would  prefer  to  die,  if  he  must  pass  the  dread  ordeal 
in  his  manly  prime,  upon  the  field  of  conflict,  and  in  the 


RECORD   OF   THE    FAMILY.  393 

cause   of  that   country  which    so  many   of  the    bravest  and 
best  have  yielded  up  their  lives  to  preserve. 

"How  sleep  the  brave  who  sink  to  rest 
By  all  their  country's  wishes  blest; 
When  Spring,  with  dewy  fingers  cold. 
Returns  to  deck  their  hallowed  mould: 
•She  then  shall  dress  a  sweeter  sod 
Than  Fancy's  feet  have  ever  trod. 

By  fairy  hands  their  knell  is  rung; 
By  forms  unseen  their  dirge  is  sung, 
There  Honor  comes — a  Pilgrim  gray, 
To  deck  the  turf  that  wraps  their  clay; 
And  Freedom  shall  awhile  repair 
To  dwell  a  weeping  hermit  there." 


WAR  RECORD  OF  THE  FAMILY. 


Mr.  Willis,  compiler  of  the  Genealogy,  gives  the  following 
note  at  its  close: 

In  revising  my  work  for  this  new  edition,  at  the  close  of 
the  unparalleled  war  through  which  we  have  passed,  I  have 
been  impressed  by  the  fact,  that,  as  in  the  war  of  the  revolu- 
tion, which  gave  us  a  National  existence,  members  of  the 
different  branches  of  our  race,  bore  important  parts,  so  in 
the  recent  struggle  for  the  preservation  of  that  existence, 
their  descendants  have  as  freely  and  honorably  periled 
their  lives.  In  these  noble  efforts,  several  have  perished 
either  in  combat  or  by  other  contingencies  of  war.  Some  of 
these  I  have  briefly  noticed,  as  their  names  have  occurred 
in  the  order  of  my  narrative;  of  others,  of  whom  I  would 
have  gladly  spoken,  I  have  no  particular  information.  One, 
however,  has  come  to  my  knowledge  while  the  last  pages 
were  going  to  press,  concerning  whom  I  will  not  omit  the 
opportunity  of  a  brief  notice.  Surgeon  Robert  .-I.  ttabbitt 
was  the  eldest  son  of  Emily,  daughter  of  Alvin  McKinstry. 
the  son  of  Paul,  who  was  the  youngest  .son  of  the  Rev.  John 
of  Ellington.  There  was  united  in  him,  with  the  blood  of- 
the  McKinstrys,  that  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Smith,  the  first 
pastor  of  the  first  church  in  Portland,  through  his  daughter 
Lucy,  wife  of  Thorn  as  Sanders,  of  Cape  Ann.  He  graduated 
at  the  Medical  College  at  Albany,  in  1860.  In  1861  he 
joined  the  8th  Conn.  Regiment  of  Volunteers  as  a  private, 
and  was  appointed  its  hospital  steward.  In  1862,  he  was 


394  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

appointed  Superintendent  of  the  Hammond  General  Hospital 
at  Beaufort,  N.  C.  In  1863,  he  was  promoted  Surgeon  of 
the  ist  N.  C.  Union  Volunteers  having  its  head  quarters  at 
Washington,  N.  C.  In  1864,  he  received  the  appointment 
of  Post  Surgeon  at  Beaufort,  where,  in  consequence  of 
extensive  and  fatal  disease,  his  labors  were  excessive,  in 
which  his  health  gave  way,  and  he  perished  of  yellow  fever, 
Oct.  17,  1864,  in  the  23d  year  of  his  age.  The  Vermont 
State  Journal,  in  an  appreciative  notice  of  this  excellent 
young  man,  says,  "Though  young  in  years,  he  proved 
himself  eminently  successful  and  efficient  in  his  profession, 
and  a  faithful  and  devoted  soldier  to  his  country."  Similar 
testimonials  could  be  offered  in  behalf  of  various  other 
members  of  our  family,  who  nobly  gave  themselves  to  the 
cause  of  their  country  in  the  hour  of  her  peril.  Among 
these  were  Capt.  James  P.  McKinstry,  of  the  Navy,  whose 
gallant  passage  of  Port  Hudson  is  on  the  page  of  history; 
the  youthful  Arthur  McKinstry,  grandson  of  Perseus,  who 
perished  in  the  great  struggle  at  Williamsburg.  Henry  W. 
Wells,  a  descendant  of  Dr.  Wm.  McKinstry,  having  served 
gallantly  in  the  Navy,  was  lost  at  sea  in  command  of  a 
National  vessel.  Capt.  Samuel  W.  Duncan,  a  volunteer  in 
the  Army  of  the  Mississippi ;  he  united  two  streams  in  the 
Scotch  Irish  blood — Duncan  and  McKinstry.  And  Com- 
mander Francis  Winslow,  of  the  Navy,  a  noble  and  brave 
officer  who  mingled  the  stock  of  the  revolutionary  hero 
Stark  with  that  of  the  McKinstrys. 

I  find  that  each  branch  of  the  McKinstrys  has  contributed 
of  its  sons  to  the  patriotic  cause  of  the  Country,  as  appears 
in  the  preceding  genealogy  and  will  be  borne  upon  the  great 
roll  of  honor.  Of  these,  are  Alexander  McKinstry,  the 
great  grand-son  of  Paul;  Durling  M.  Brownell,  killed  in  the 
battle  of  the  Wilderness;  John  F.  Fink,  a  member  of  the 
famed  Nim's  battery,  and  Frederick-Wm.  Fink;  Elliott  F. 
McKinstry  served  honorably  three  years;  Martin  Van  Mc- 
Kinstry, a  prisoner  and  probably  a  victim,  as  he  has  not 
been  heard  from;  George  Francis  Fink  died  in  Camp,  and 
Wm.  Frank  Adams.  All  young  and  enthusiastic,  they 
offered  themselves  to  the  great  cause.  The  last  seven  were 
descendants  from  William,  (I.)  the  immigrant  from  Carrick- 
fergus. 

The  same  spirit  which  inspired  the  hearts  of  the  sires  in 
the  first  revolution,  was  not  abated  in  their  sons  in  the  second. 
The  union  of  the  Scotch,  the  Celt  and  the  Saxon  in  this  race 
form  enduring  elements  of  harmony  and  strength. 


THE    MAINE   BRANCH.  395 


THE  MAINE  BRANCH. 


DR.  WILLIAM  MCKINSTRY,  the  third  son  and  fourth 
child  of  Rev.  John  of  Ellington,  born  Oct.  8,  1732  and 
settled  at  Taunton,  Mass.  On  Nov.  27,  1760,  he  married 
Priscilla,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Leonard,  pastor  of 
the  ist  Church  in  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  later,  Priscilla. 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  Rogers  and  Sarah  Appleton  of 
Ipswich,  Mass.  By  her  he  had  ten  children. 

Dr.  McKinstry  had  a  successful  business  in  Taunton,  in 
1774,  although  ht  had  a  feeble  constitution  and  a  con- 
sumptive habit.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Emery,  in  his  "Ministry  of 
Taunton,"  says  of  Dr.  McKinstry,  "He  was  a  person  of 
highly  respectable  personal  and  professional  character." 
At  that  time  a  Capt.  Gilbert,  suspected  of  tors'  principles, 
was  seized  and  so  roughly  handled  by  the  "sons  of  liberty," 
that  it  became  necessary  to  have  a  surgeon  to  dress  his 
wounds.  He  protested  against  having  a  rebel  doctor,  but 
was  willing  that  Dr.  McKinstry  should  attend  him.  This 
suggestion  excited  suspicion  against  this  amiable  and  popular 
physician.  He  became  the  subject  of  offensive  remark,  and 
was  exposed  to  insult  and  injury.  Being  in  feeble  health 
and  of  a  sensitive  nature,  which  could  not  bear  hard  usage 
nor  a  suspected  position,  he  thought  it  advisable  to  retire 
for  a  time  to  Boston.  His  family,  which  was  left  in 
Taunton,  was  now  subject  to  increased  annoyance.  His 
wife,  a  finely  educated  and  high  spirited  woman,  of  elegant 
manners,  was  treated  with  much  harshness  as  a  suspected 
person.  She  was  niece  of  the  Hon.  George  Leonard,  of 
Norton,  and  cousin  of  Daniel  Leonard,  a  refugee,  and  after- 
wards chief  Justice  of  Bermuda. 

Mrs.  McKinstry  with  her  family  soon  joined  her  husband 
in  Boston.  So  high  was  Dr.  McKinstry's  reputation  in  his 
profession,  that  he  received  from  Gen.  Gage  the  appoint- 
ment of  surgeon  general  of  the  hospitals  in  Boston.  His 
property  in  Taunton  was  confiscated. 

It  so  happened  that  on  the  memorable  I7th  of  June,  1775, 
a  dinner  party  took  place  at  Dr.  McKinstry's  house,  for 
which  invitations  had  been  given  out  the  day  before.  The 
dinner  proved  to  be  a  solemn  and  silent  one,  and  was 
partaken  standing.  Several  officers  were  present  who  had 
been  detailed  to  proceed  with  detachments  of  the  British 
army  to  dislodge  the  rebels  from  Bunker  Hill.  They  hastily 
dined  and  proceeded  to  join  their  corps;  among  them  was 


&6  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES.. 

Major  John  Small,  a  friend  of  the  family,  whose  name  is; 
identified  in  that  momentous  battle.  Dr.  McKinstry 's  house, 
stood  on  Hanover  street,  near  where  the  Shawmut  House 
lately  stood,  and  the  children  went  to  the  top  of  the  house: 
to  witness  the  cannonade.  Sarah,  one  of  them,  then  eight, 
years  old,  Little  dreamed  that,  in  after  years,  she  would 
become  the  wife  of  a  gallant  stripling  of  16,  who  was  then 
fighting  in  the  opposite  ranks,  by  the  side  of  his  veteran 
father,  the  renowned  John  Stark.  Twelve  years  later  she 
was  wedded  to  that  gallant  soldier,  Caleb  Stark.  Another 
daughter,  Mary,  might  also  have  been  a  distant  witness  to 
the  flight  from  the  flames  of  Charlestown  of  her  future 
husband,.  Benjamin  Willis,  a  native  of  that  devoted  town, 
who,  with  his  mother,  was  compelled  to  make  a  hasty 
retreat,  without  a  backward  look  to  their  perishing  property. 

When  Boston  was  evacuated,  Dr.  McKinstry  and  his 
family  went  on  board  the  fleet,,  which  lay  ten  days  in  Nan- 
tasket  Roads  waiting  orders.  During  that  time,  viz. ,  March 
21,  1779,  Dr.  McKinstry  died  of  consumption,  011  board  the 
Dutton  hospital  ship  at  the  age  of  43,  years,,  and  his  remains- 
lie  buried  on  George's  Island,  in  that  harbor. 

The  surviving  members  of  the  family  were  taken  in  the 
fleet  to  Halifax,  and  were  on  board  the  same  ship  with  lady 
Howe,  wife  of  the  Admiral,  where  they  were  treated  with 
that  sympathy  and  kindness  their  unhappy  condition  re- 
quired. The  fleet  took  away  about  one  thousand  refugees. 
The  family  remained  in  Halifax,  with  the  exception  of 
William,  the  eldest  son,  until  1788,  when  they  returned  to 
the  States,,  making  Newport,  R.  I.,  their  place  of  residence, 
during  its  occupation  by  the  British.  After  its  evacuation, 
in  Nov.,  1779,  they  .proceeded  toHaverhill,  in  Mass.,  where 
a  sister  of  Mrs.  McKinstry,  the  wife  of  John  White,  Esq., 
lived;  and  she  died  there,  May  -26,  1786,  honored  and 
loved. 

The  four  sons  of  Dr.  McKinstry  died  unmarried,  and 
consequently  the  name  in  this  branch  is  extinct. 

SARAH,  the  2nd  daughter  of  Dr.  McKinstry,  married 
Major  Cabel  Stark,  in  Haverhill,  in  1787.  Major  Stark 
was  the  eldest  son  of  Gen.  John  Stark,  of  revolutionary 
fame,  and  was  born  Dec.  3,  1759.  He  accompanied  his 
father,  as  a  volunteer,  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill;  soon  after  was  appointed  Ensign  in  Capt. 
George  Reid's  company,  in  the  ist  N.  H.  Regiment.  He 
served  in  New  York  and  Canada;  he  was  an  adjutant  in  the 
battles  of  Trenton  and  Princeton;  was  present  at  the  battle 
of  Saratoga,  and  Springfield,  N.  J.  ;  served  as  adjutant 


IX    ALABAMA.  397 

general  of  the  Northern  Department,  in  1778  and  1781,  and 
continued  in  service  to  the  close  of  the  war.  After  the  peace 
he  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits;  was  awhile  established 
in  Boston  with  his  brother-in-law,  John  McKinstry,  and 
engaged  in  manufacturing  at  Pembroke,  X.  H.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  courage,  energy,  and  perseverance  through 
life.  He  died  in  Ohio,  Aug.  26,  1838,  where  he  had  pro- 
ceeded to  establish  a  claim  to  land  granted  for  military 
services. 

HON.  WILLIAM  WILLIS,  of  Portland,  Me.,  who  compiled 
the  McKinstry  genealogy,  was  a  grandson  of  Dr.  Mc- 
Kinstry, his  mother,  Mary  McKinstry,  third  daughter  of 
the  Dr..  having  married  Benjamin  Willis,  Jan.  9,  1791.  He 
graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1813,  was  admitted  to  the 
Suffolk  Bar,  Boston,  in  Jan.  1817;  removed  to  Portland  in 
1819,  where  he  remained  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
until  his  death  about  1870;  was  State  Senator  in  1855, 
Mayor  of  Portland  in  1857;  Elector  of  President  of  U.  S.  in 
1860;  President  of  the  Maine  Historical  Society  1856  to 
1864,  and  author  of  the  History  of  Portland,  the  Law  and 
Lawyers  of  Maine,  and  several  other  works.  Sept.  i,  1823, 
he  married  Julia,  a  daughter  of  Ezekiel  Whitman,  late 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Maine,  by  whom  he 
had  eight  children. 


IN  ALABAMA. 


JUDGE  ALEXANDER  MCKIXSTRY,  of  Mobile,  Ala.,  was  a 
grandson  of  Ezekiel  McKinstry,  of  Ellington,  Conn.  He 
was  born  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  March  7,  1822;  he  passed  the 
early  years  of  his  life  in  New  England.  At  the  age  of  13, 
he  went  to  Mobile,  Ala.,  and  became  a  clerk  in  a  commer- 
cial house;  but  having  higher  aspirations,  he  concluded  to 
prepare  for  the  bar,  and  entered  the  office  of  John  A.  Camp- 
bell, afterwards,  Judge  of  the  S.  C.  of  the  U.  S.,  as  a 
student;  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1842  and  had  a  success- 
ful practice.  In  1850  he  was  elected  Judge  of  the  City 
Court  of  Mobile,  having  civil  and  criminal  jurisdiction. 
During  the  rebellion,  he  became  an  officer  in  the  Confeder- 
ate service.  He  was  Lieut.  Gov.  of  Alabama  after  the  war. 
He  died  about  1880.  In  1845  he  married  Virginia,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  R.  Dale,  by  whom  he  had  several  children. 
One  son,  William  D.,  is  a  lawyer  in  Mobile;  another,  Alex- 
ander, also  a  lawyer,  settled  in  California. 


EDITORIAL 


THE  WILLIAMS  FAMILY. 


My  mother  was  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  sixteen  children  of 
Daniel  Williams  of  Norwich,  Mass.  He  was  a  revolutionary  soldierr 
and  was  at  the  battle  of  Stillwater  when  Burgoyne  was  captured. 
Some  of  his  children  came  to  Chautauqua  county  about  1820  and  he- 
followed  with  his  wife  to  Clymer  where  he  died  Feb.  13,  1846,  aged 
86  years.  His  wife  died  there,  July  31,  1834.  My  mother  died  in 
Chicopee,  Dec.  25,  1855,  aged  71  years.  Her  brother  Alvin  carried 
em  a  store  and  ashery  in  Clymer,  and  died  April  17,  1-855,  aged  70- 
years.  One  sister  married  Gideon  Brockway,  of  Southampton,  and 
moved  to  Clymer,  this  county,  while  the  son  Beman  was  an  ap- 
prentice with  me  in  the  Northampton  Courier  office.  Hence  his. 
coming  here,  and  also  my  coining  to  the  county  in  1839.  His- 
mother  died,  Aug.  6,  1861.  aged  65  years. 

Another  brother,  Joseph  H.,  was  a  merchant  for  a  time  at  Watts- 
burg,  North  East  and  Erie,  and  then  a  banker  at  Terra  Haute,  Ind.. 
He  died  in  Philadelphia,  aged  72  years. 

Daniel,  the  youngest  brother,  was  a  tanner  and  merchant  in  Ash- 
ville  for  some  years,  and  finally  a  large  land  owner  and  farmer. 
He  was  one  of  the  originators  and  a  large  stockholder  in  the  Cross- 
Cut,  now  the  W.  N,  Y.  &  P.  Railroad.  He  died  in  Aug.  1881,  aged 
75  years,  W,  McK. 


THE  FAMILY  CREST. 


The'  old  Scotch  family,  whose  name  signifies  Chief  of  the  Valley, 
had  for  their  motto,  Luced  non  Uro — I  give  light  but  do  not  con- 
sume— represented  by  a  burning  volcano.  Perhaps  it  had  an  early 
significance,  bearing  witness  to  their  steadfast  faith  in  the  days  of 
persecution. 

When  Louis  McKinstry,  some  years  ago,  was  on  the  steamer 
Adriatic,  White  Star  line,  the  fourth  officer,  named  McKinstry, 
observing  the  name  upon  the  list  of  passengers,  inquired  of  him 
and  ascertained  that  they  were  of  the  same  Scotch-Irish  origin. 
Therefore  he  gave  him  samples  of  the  Crest  embossed  011  letter 
heads,  a  copy  of  which  is  shown  above. 

A  letter  from  a  cousin  of  this  officer,  from  Armagh,  Ireland,  Miss 
Harriett  King  McKinstry,  traces  back  the  lineage  to  1716,  and  says 
the  oldest  seal  represents  three  burning  mountains  with  the  same 
motto.  The  two  side  mountains  have  been  cut  off  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  seals  for  convenience.  The  officer  on  the  Adriatic  is 
now  Captain  McKinstry  of  the  steamer  Germanic,  same  line. 


A    FAMILY    REUNION.  399 


A  FAMILY  REUNION. 


[From  the  Fredonia  CEXSOK,  Sept.  i,  1880.] 

CHICOPEE,  Mass.,  Saturday,  Aug.  21,  1880. 

On  Friday  the  old  homestead,  where  the  youth  of  our  large 
family  was  spent,  was  reached,  and  seven  of  the  nine  who 
arrived  at  mature  age,  all  that  are  now  living,  had  there  a 
social  and  pleasant  reunion.  It  was  the  first  gathering 
when  all  the  members  of  the  family  have  been  present,  for 
nearly  fifty  years.  What  a  change  has  been  wrought ! 
Then  the  youngest  of  the  group  was  about  two  years  old, 
and  the  oldest  was  26.  Now  the  oldest  of  the  group  is  76 — 
the  youngest,  A.  \V.  McKinstry,  of  Minnesota,  is  52,  the 
average  age  of  the  seven  living  being  65.  Of  course  many 
reminiscences  of  earlier  years  were  related,  and  life  seemed 
to  be  lived  over.  The  oldest  seemed  to  be  young  again  in 
their  thoughts,  but  the  physical  capacity  was  no  more  to  be 
restored.  The  gray  hair  would  never  again  assume  its  dark 
luster,  and  the  wrinkled  features  would  never  be  restored 
to  smoothness.  Yet  the  scenes  of  early  years  seemed  to  take 
off  scores  of  years  from  the  participants. 

After  two  or  three  days  of  social  intercourse,  the  company 
again  scattered,  probably  never  to  be  united  in  unbroken 
numbers  on  earth.  Minnesota,  Ohio,  Western  New  York 
and  Massachusetts  were  all  represented.  There  were 
children,  grand  children  and  one  great  grand  child  present, 
31  in  all,  and  yet  many  from  a  distance  were  not  there. 
The  power  of  the  artist  was  invoked  to  preserve  the  fading 
features  of  the  seven,  so  "their  shadows  may  never  be  less," 
though  their  bodies  may  fade  entirely  from  sight. 

The  Connecticut  valley  has  grown  in  importance  within 
the  last  fifty  years.  Then  there  was  no  Chicopee  village, 
no  Holyoke,  the  city  of  Springfield  was  but  a  village  of  five 
or  six  thousand  inhabitants, — there  were  no  railroads,  no 


400  EDITORIAL   MISCELLANIES. 

factories,  except  a  beginning  at  Chicopee  Falls,  no  manu- 
factures ot  any  kind  which  demanded  much  attention,  and 
there  was  only  a  sparsely  settled  agricultural  population,  all 
working  hard  to  obtain  the  necessaries  and  comforts  of  life, 
without '  any  of  its  luxuries.  The  old  people  of  that  time 
have  all  departed  to  the  other  shore,  and  the  young  people 
are  becoming  old  and  gray-headed.  Yet  such  is  life,  and 
such  the  inevitable  working  of  time.  '  As  in  all  ages  from 
the  beginning,  one  generation  passes  away  and  another 
succeeds.  In  the  grave-yard  are  seen  the  names  of  those 
who  seemed  old  to  us  as  we  remembered  them,  but  the  ages 
recorded  showed  many  of  them  to  have  then  passed  but 
little  life's  meridian.  M. 

[Of  those  who  participated  in  this  reunion,  only  Willard  and  A. 
Winthrop  remain  at  this  date,  Dec.,  1894..] 


NOTE. — Rev.  John  McKinstry  of  Chicopee,  died  in  1813.  Of 
his  grand-children,  my  sister  Eliza  was  the  only  one  who  recollected 
him  distinctly.  In  a  letter  from  her,  dated  Dec.  12,  1887,  she  said: 

"I  remember  him  well,  for  I  was  9  years  old  when  he  died.  He 
was  minister  here  thirty-seven  years,  and  was  66  when  dismissed. 
We  children,  when  old  enough,  called  there  every  day  going  to  and 
from  school.  I  used  to  read  hymns  to  him.  He  lived  to  be  almost 
90.  I  remember  him  in  his  better  days,  rigged  for  meeting,  wearing 
his  wig,  three-cornered  hat,  breeches,  long  stockings,  shoe  and  knee 
buckles.  I  .think  his  memory  did  not  fail  so  much  as  that  of  some 
old  people.  He  took  an  interest  in  political  matters." 

W.  McK. 


CAMPAIGN  SONG  OF  1840. 


{The  following  song  was  published  in  Greeley's  "Log  Cabin"  with  thv 
music  of  "O,  saw  ye  the  lass~wi'  the  bonny  blu«  een  ?"  the  air  to  which  it 
was  sung  at  thousands  of  political  meetings  in  that  memorable  campaign.] 

Away  in  the  far  West,  the  fair  river  teside, 

That  waters  North  Bend  in  its  teauty  and  pride, 

And  shows  in  its  mirror  the  summer  sky  blue, 

Ob,  there  dwells  the  farmer  of  Tippecanoe. 

When  the  clear  Eastern  sky  in  the  morning's  light  gleams, 

And  the  hills  of  Ohio  grow  warm  in  its  beams, 

When  the  fiesh  springing  grass  is  tent  down  by  the  dew, 

With  his  plow  in  the  furrow  stands  Tippecanoe. 

Hurrah  !  for  the  Farmer  of  Tippecanoe, 
The  honest  old  Farmer  of  Tippecance, 

With  an  arm  that  is  strong,  and  a  heart  that  is  true, 
The  man  of  the  People  is  Tippecanoe. 

And  when  far  in  the  West  the  warm  sunlight  goes  down. 

And  the  woods  <  f  Ohio  look  dusky  and  brown, 

In  his  snug,  quiet  home,  he  the  past  will  review, 

And  think  of  his  comrades  at  Tippecanoe; 

For  wrarm  are  his  feelings,  and  strong  is  his  mind, 

To  the  suffering  poor  man  he  ever  is  kind; 

With  a  hand  that  is  open,  a  heart  that  is  true, 

The  poor  find  a  friend  in  Old  Tippecanoe. 

Hurrah  !  for  the  Farmer  of  Tippecanoe, 
The  honest  old  Farmer  of  Tippecanoe, 

With  an  arm  that  is  strong,  and  a  heart  that  is  true, 
The  choice  of  the  People  is  Tippecanoe. 

The  people  are  rising  throughout  the  broad  West, 
At  the  name  of  the  man  w7ho  has  served  them  the  best, 
In  Battle,  in  Council,  and  everywhere,  true 
As  the  steel  of  his  good  sword,  is  Tippecanoe. 
Ye  farmers  arouse  !  put  your  hands  to  the  plow, 
Your  Country  is  calling,  and  will  ye  fail  now, 
With  one  at  your  head  who  defeat  never  knew  ? 
Come,  join  the  brave  army  of  Tippecanoe. 

Hurrah  !  for  the  Farmer  of  Tippecanoe, 
The  honest  old  Farmer  of  Tippecanoe, 

With  an  arm  that  is  strong,  and  a  heart  that  is  true, 
The  People  will  conquer  with  Tippecanoe. 

Come,  all  who  are  honest  and  wish  to  be  free, 
From  the  bank  of  the  river,  the  shore  of  the  sea; 
As  the  leaves  on  the  trees  are  his  followers  true, 
And  who  would  not  follow  Old  Tippecanoe  ? 
Come  up,  with  the  Buckeye,  the  pride  of  the  West, 
Come  up,  with  brave  HARRY,  of  leaders  the  best, 
With  TYLER,  the  Statesman,  who's  honest  and  true, 
And  the  Battle  is  won  by  Old  Tippecanoe. 

Hurrah  !  for  the  Farmer  of  Tippecanoe, 
The  fearless  old  Farmer  of  Tippecanoe, 

With  an  arm  that  is  strong,  and  a  heart  that  is  true, 
Van  Buren's  successor  is  Tippecanoe  ! 


PRESIDENTIAL  ELECTIONS  FOR  52  YEARS. 


During  the  time  I  have  lived  in  Chautattqua  County,  there  have 
been  thirteen  Presidential  Elections,  in  all  of  which  the  county  gave 
Whig  or  Republican  majorities.  The  vote  in  this  time  has  increased 
from  9,353  in  1840,  to  19,866  in  1892.  Every  candidate  who  carried 
the  county  was  supported  by  the  CENSOR.  They  were  Whig  candi- 
dates till  1852;  since  then,  Republican. 


THE  PRESIDENTIAL  VOTE  OF  CHAUTAUQUA  COl 

YEAR    1840. 

Harrison, 

VanBuren, 

Birney, 

5,985 

3,345 

23 

YEAR    1844. 

Clay, 

Polk, 

Birney, 

5,  612 

3,407 

314 

YEAR    1848. 

Taylor, 

Cass, 

Van  Buren, 

4,207 

1,911 

1,622 

YEAR    1852. 

Scott, 

Pierce, 

Hale, 

5,  612 

3,703 

1,209 

YEAR    1856. 

Fremont, 

Filmore, 

Buchanan, 

7,036 

2,013 

!,847 

YEAR    i860. 

Lincoln, 

Fusion  T'k 

't 

8,481 

3.670 

YEAR    1864. 

Lincoln, 

McClellan, 

8,692 

3,992 

YEAR    1868. 

Grant, 

Seymour, 

9,387 

4,441 

YEAR    18/2. 

Grant, 

Greeley,  . 

O'  Conner, 

S,i45 

4,881 

82 

YEAR    1876. 

Hayes, 

Tilden, 

Cooper,          Smith, 

10,065 

5,685 

I2O                          IO 

YEAR    l88o. 

Garfield, 

Hancock, 

Weaver,         Dow, 

10,422 

5,472 

585                   64 

YEAR    1884. 

Blaine, 

Cleveland, 

Butler,           St.  John, 

10,670 

5,861 

43i                 540 

YEAR    1888. 

Harrison, 

Cleveland, 

Fisk, 

12,108 

6,178 

893 

YEAR    1892. 

Harrison, 

Cleveland, 

Weaver,         Bidwell, 

n,595 

6,397 

573              i.iis 

VOTE. 

9,353 
9,333 
7,740 
10,524 
10,896 
12,151 
12,684 
13,828 
13,108 
15,880 

16,543 

17,502 

19,179 
19,866 


REP.  PLUR 
2,640 

2,205 
2,296 
1,909 
3,176 

4,811 
4,700 
4,946 
3,264 

4.38o 
4,950 
4,809 
5,930 
5,198 


In  1894  the  county  gave  Levi  P.  Morton,  Republican  candidate 
for  Governor, -7, 516  majority. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 

PAGE. 

PREFACE, -  3 

THE  PIONEER  PRESS  OF  CHAUT.  COUNTY,         -        -  9 

THURLOW  WEED, -        -  28 

TEMPLE  WORSHIP,                  37 

THE  CENSOR  SEMI-CENTENNIAL,         ....  46 

Letters  from  HON.  F.  W.  PALMER, 46 

HORACE  GREELEY,            -  47 

HON.  E.  T.  FOOTE,     -  47 

A.   W.   McKlNSTRY,              -            -            -            -            -.  48 

HON.  ROSCOE  CONKLING,    -----  50 

MARK  TWAIN, -  50 

DAVID  EATON, -        -51 

DR.  J.  G.  HOLLAND,        -        -        -        -        -  51 

HON.  A.  H.  WALKEK,          .....  52 

HON.  ABNER  HAZELTINE,         -        -        -        -  53 

THURLOW  WEED.         ------  54 

HON.  R.  E.  FENTON,                                 r  54 

•Gov.  MORGAN  BATES, 55 

MR.  FRISBEE'S  SPEECH, -  58 

HON.  E.  F.  WARREN'S  SPEECH, 65 

Gov.  PATTERSON'S  SPEECH, -  68 

HON.  H.  A.  RISLEY'S  TRIBUTE,           -        -        -        -  71 

MR.  CUSHING'S  RESPONSE, -  73 

REMINISCENCES  BY  DR.  WILLIAMS, 75 

HON.  GEO.  BARKER'S  RESPONSE, 77 

HON.  ORSON  STILES'  RESPONSE,  ------  79 

REMARKS  OK  O.  W.  JOHNSON,  Si 

RESPONSE  BY  C.  F.  MATTESON, 82 

RESPONSE  OK  W.  MCKINSTRY,          -----  87 

THE  OLD  SETTLERS'  REUNION, 90 

THE  OLD  SETTLER'S  LETTER, 94 

TRIBUTE  TO  WM.  H.  SEWARD, 97 

MEMORIAL  OF  HANSON  A.  RISLEY,            ...  99 


INDEX. 

THE  MODERN  MARTYR  AGE, 

DULL  CARES, 

THE  OLD  TIME  SCHOOL, 

AN  ANCIENT  GEOGRAPHY, 

ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO, 

CENTENNIAL  EXPOSITION,  PHILADELPHIA, 
GREAT  EXPOSITION,  NEW  ORLEANS, 

ON  TO  RICHMOND, 

Another  day  in   Richmond,    131— From   Richmond    to 
Chattanooga,  133. 

FROM  NEW  ORLEANS  TO  CALIFORNIA,       -'      -        -     138 
Chalmette  Cemetery,  138 — Straight  University,  139— El 
Paso,    Texas,     140— San    Gorgonio,    Call.,     144 — San 
Diego,    Cali.,    146 — South    Pasadena,    Cali.,  (i)    149 — 
South  Pasadena,  Cali.,  (2)  152. 

VICKSBURG, 156 

THE  FALL  OF  VICKSBURG,  160 

THE  BAYOU  TECHE,  166 

On  the  Mississippi,  170— The  Scenery  of  the  Teche,  171. 

WASHINGTON  IN  1855,  175 

THF  SCOTTISH  LAKES,         -  178 

HAMPTON  ROADS,       -  185 

A  Second  Visit  to  the  Peninsula,  189 — Death  of  a  Noble 
Philanthropist,  192. 

ABOUT  NANTUCKET,  193 

THOUSAND  ISLANDS,  197 

FROM  LAKE  ERIE  TO  LAKE  SUPERIOR,      -        -        -     202 
Sault  Ste.  Marie,  203 — Lake  Superior,  205 — Duluth  and 
Superior  City,  206 — Minneapolis,  209. 

ST.  PAUL,  214 

FLORIDA,    ---  216 

St.  Augustine,  217 — Up  and  Down  the  St.  John's  River, 
221 — Tallahassee,  226. 


INDEX. 

FROM  ALABAMA,                  229 

Montgomery,  233. 

THE  SUGAR  PLANTATION,  235 

DEATH  OF  GEN.  GRANT,                   ......  239 

Services  at  Westminster  Abbey,  240. 

ALPINE  CLIMBING,          -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -247 

The  Valley  of  Diosaz— A  Struggle  on  the  Col  de  Vent — 
Night  in  a  Cattle  Chalet. 

EDINBURGH  AND  SURROUNDINGS,     -        ...  262 

A  FEW  DAYS  IN  HAVANA, 266 

Visit  to  a  Sugar  Plantation,  272 — The  Cock  Fight  and 
Bull  Fight,  276. 

IX  SOUTHERN  ITALY,        -        -  282 
Venice,  288. 

FROM  ATHENS  TO  MARATHON,                                          -  292 

MEMORIAL  OF  HON.  B.  BROCKVVAV,          -    v  .        .  2gb 

THE  UNDERGROUND  R.  R.,                                           -        -  304 

FREDONIA  ACADEMY,        -                 310 

THE  IRREPRESSIBLE  CONFLICT,    -        -        -        -        -  312 

A  YEAR  OF  NIGHT,             322 

QUEBEC, -        -  331 

MEMORIAL  DAY,  1878,          -•       -        -        -        -.       -        -  336 

1885,     - 338 

NATIONAL  THANKSGIVING,  1885,  341 

1893, 342 

CHRISTMAS,  1884, 346 

MEMORIAL  OF  PORTER  C.  BLISS,  349 

FARIBAULT.  MINNESOTA,        -  354 

A  PERSONATION.             358 

TO  ALABAMA  AND  RETURN,          .....  366 

THE  HANGING  OF  THE  CRANE,       -----  371 


INDEX. 

SCOTCH-IRISH  IMMIGRATION,  375 

GENEALOGY,  384 

ARTHUR  McKINSTRY,        ....  392 

FAMILY  RECORD,  393 

THE  MAINE  BRANCH, 395 

ALEXANDER  McKINSTRY  of  Mobile,  Ala.,  -        -     397 

THE  WILLIAMS  FAMILY,  398 

THE  FAMILY  CREST,     -  -     398 

A  FAMILY  REUNION,  -        -        390 

CAMPAIGN  SONG  OF  1840,  401 

COUNTY  PRESIDENTIAL  VOTE,  52  YEARS,  -'       -        402 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
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